The Model Within
by ilovemesomecupcakes
Summary: Zach secretly broke up with his model girlfriend over the summer. It was a secret kept from her. His best friend. Cammie Morgan, his plain, popular, princess. But what are you supposed to do when the girl you love is still hooked up on her ex-boyfriend of nearly three years? / "Death changes everything, you know." He shook his head. "I just don't know what to do anymore."
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

"Cammie! Cameroon! Camster! Camerilia! Cameron! Chameleon! Came-"

I poked my head through my bedroom door, hoping that it wasn't actually 3:00 in the morning on a school night, and that this was a dream.

Unluckily, it was 3:00 in the morning, _on a school night, _and my best friend was standing on my door.

I rubbed lazily at my eyes. "Ugnh. What do you want, Zach?"

I looked at him, drawing my eyes over him.

"How are you not sleepy?"

"I'm just that goode."

I rolled my eyes. "Well, you better hurry up. I need my sleep."

"Right. Okay, so Tina's flight just arrived, and she's expecting me at the airport."

He said this as if Tina was some demon. "Uh… Zach? The last time I checked, Tina _was your girlfriend." _

Zach laughed a humorless laugh. "Yeah… I kind of left that part out last time…"

Don't get me wrong, Tina is not a bad person. She's a gorgeous model (Well, as gorgeous as you can be with layers of makeup on your face), as well as an actress who debuted on the 2012 film _Wreck-It-Ralph. _

Of course it had to be animated. They couldn't afford to let her face appear thousands of times on a multi-million dollar film.

That'd be suicide in the movie industry.

Seriously, she's not a bad person. I just don't think she's the right kind of girl for Zach.

"Okay… I'm still not getting it. Why don't you want to-"

"We broke up, okay! I caught her…working up a guy at a club two weeks ago."

My mouth snapped open.

"Are you going to start crying yet? You didn't, like, punch the guy in the face, right? Are the cops after you again? Did you smash your head against your steering wheel? Do I need to get the ice cream? I don't have any beer, so if you want any, I'm going to have to call Macey. Are you-"

"Cammie, please be quiet."

I raised my eyebrows. "So… are you upset?"

Zach shrugged his shoulders indifferently.

"As far as I know, I'm not."

"So what are you going to do?"

Zach laughed, a mischievous spark shooting through his eyes.

"I need you to be my girlfriend."

::

"Is that your 'discreet' way of confessing your undying love for me?"

"Ha. You wish."

"Whatever. You love me whether you like it or not."

Zach rolled his eyes. "Sure, sure. I love you, Cams."

"Okay. So… you woke me up at three in the morning to tell me about your two-timing girlfriend and confess your love to me?" Cammie paused, and then broke into a huge smile. "Ohmigod. Best friend EVER!"

Zach laughed, his low rumble merging with Cammie tinkling giggle.

A hooded figure watched from afar (or rather, a large green shrub) as the two best friends laughed together.

The figure narrowed his eyes.

* * *

The next morning, Bex watched as Tina Walters, break-out model, strutted through the doors of Gallagher High School, scanning the crowd for her 'boyfriend'.

Bex laughed at the thought of Tina being a model. More like an anorexic chimpanzee with bright red blush on its cheeks.

Cammie seemed to be a more natural fit for a model, with her golden sheet of blonde hair, deep sapphire eyes, and athletic figure.

Zach had just appeared in the school parking lot, Cammie stepping out the passenger seat of his bright red Ferrari, a gift from his dad on his seventeenth birthday.

They hooked arms, and Zach wrapped his arm protectively around her slim waist.

Bex rolled her eyes, walking away with a tall, blonde boy.

Zach's arm was still wrapped tightly around her.

Cammie's eye widened, surprised by his gesture, glancing at Zach when she saw Tina.

Zach risked a glance at his girlfriend, shrugging indifferently as he led Cammie to the far side of the school, hoping to seek another way in.

Bex shared a look with the tall boy standing behind her, winding his arms around her waist.

She smiled, turning around to place a chaste kiss on the boy's lips.

"Hey, babe. Good morning."

The pair leaned in to kiss again, but a fellow friend began calling for the boy.

"Yo! Abrams! Coach wants you!"

* * *

Zach waited as Cammie stopped by her locker to grab her Advanced Physics book.

"Why can't you be like normal people and ditch Fibbs' class?" Zach whined.

Cammie cocked a hip, raising an eyebrow, daring him to keep speaking.

"And I'm not normal? Is that what you're saying?" Cammie said, her voice accusing but teasing.

Zach smiled. "You're never normal, Morgan. Do I have to constantly remind you?"

Cammie glanced down the hall, Tina and her clique coming towards Zach.

She nudged his shoulder, and he nodded, his smirk appearing on his face.

As Tina approached, Zach noticed the unusually slutty sway of her hips, as well as her revealing, thin, sheer lace top. He nearly threw up.

Cammie noticed as well, but she couldn't keep her throw-up in as well, so she excused herself to the bathroom.

Zach couldn't stand the chance of staying alone with _her, _so he grabbed her hand, and pulled her back.

"Breath in and out slowly. It'll help. I used it all the time when we… you know", Zach advised.

"The throw-up, right?"

"What else would it be?" Zach said cheekily.

Cammie breathed in, surprised that Zach's advice was actually working. That was a first.

"So, Zachy. I noticed that you weren't there to pick me up at the airport yesterday. Were you planning something _special _for me?" Tina said, seductiveness lacing her voice.

Zach didn't seem fazed at all by her tone of voice, or her suggestiveness. He shrugged.

"Nope." Wow, Zach. Way to let a girl know that you love her. "We broke up. I'm not going to pick up my ex-girlfriend at the airport and waste my time."

Tina's clique gasped simultaneously. Tina's eyes narrowed. "What, so you can sleep with the Morgan bitch?"

"The _'Morgan Bitch' _is right here, Tina the Slut-Face."

"Oh, _sorry. _I didn't see you there. Seems like there's a cloud of ugly surrounding you," Tina said, a wicked smile on her face.

" For your information, 'ugly' is an adjective. You, know, Tina. An _adjective. _A-d-j-e-c-t-i-v-e. A word that describes a noun. Do you know what a noun is? A noun is a person, place, or-"

"I know what a noun is. I'm not an idiot".

Cammie laughed. "Oh, I beg to differ."

Zach interrupted. "Look, Tina. Cammie's my girlfriend now, so-"

"Oh _yeah? _Prove it, then."

Cammie drew in a sharp breath. "If he said we're dating then we're dat-"

Zach pressed his lips to mine, pulling away for a brief second.

"Just go along with it."

He pressed his lips to mine again, and I heard the sobs coming from Tina and her group.

The kiss was weird, I had to admit. It wasn't like kissing all the past boyfriends I had. This felt a bit different.

Yeah, it felt good kissing him, but there wasn't any spark that I had felt with… Well, it was just different.

Zach pulled away. "You okay? Sorry I had to do that. Tina wouldn't go away, and I needed a way to shut her up."

I scoffed. "Yeah. Sure, but next time- Do you think you could opt for a _different _option?"

* * *

**A/N: Yeah, I know. I should be putting my full focus on my other two stories. But, I really felt that this was a good idea for a story.**

**Did you guys like it?**

**If I don't get too much review or feedback, I probably won't continue it.**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Please review!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	2. The One Who Comes Early

Chapter 2

Cammie threw her bag onto the couch, with Zach closing the large, glass French doors behind her.

"Zach, I really have to be honest with you."

"What, you're back together with _him _again?" Zach said, disgusted.

"Preston is sweet and adorable," Cammie said defensively.

"Oh, sure. Because girls nowadays find Superman pajamas and Spider-Man watches _so hot."_

"Zach! I thought you said you wouldn't talk about the watch anymore!"

"No, no. I said I wouldn't talk about it _around him. _He isn't here, is he?"

Cammie rolled her eyes. "Whatever." She paused. "I don't think Tina believes it."

"Don't worry about it, Cams." Zach looked around the house. "Where's your mom?"

"Probably hooking up with Officer Powell again."

"Officer Powell? The Brad Pitt look-alike? Isn't he only, like 22 years old?"

Cammie smiled dreamily. "Yeah, and he's also _hot."_

Zach furrowed his eyebrows. "I didn't know I had a twin brother."

"Right, because _every _girl at school thinks so."

"Oh, you want to bet?"

Cammie smirked. "It's on, Goode."

::

_Message sent._

"Okay! Got it!"

"Seriously? That fast, Goode?"

_Two new messages._

"Oh, would you look at that! Two replies already!"

"What did you even send to them?"

"You mean _all of them."_

Cammie's eyes bulged out of her head.

"You sent a text to every girl at school?! Are you freaking serious?!"

Zach smirked. "Only the hot ones."

"Hot by your standards or normal people standards?"

Zach placed a hand delicately over his heart. "I thought we already covered this! In this relationship, you're abnormal, and I'm _ab-solutely_ gorgeous."

Cammie ignored him. "So, what _did _you send?"

"If you think Zach Goode is totally hot and gorgeous, reply yes. Please don't freak out about me texting you. I wouldn't want your pretty face to get tears stains."

"_That's _what you wrote? Are you freaking kidding me?" Cammie looked at him in disbelief. "I never knew my best friend was a honest man with _manners."_

"Oh, how you humor me."

The doorbell rang.

Zach and Cammie looked at each other.

Cammie was the first to speak. "You open it."

"No! You open it!"

"I said it first, you open it!"

"NO, it's your house, you-"

A high pitched squeal came from outside, followed by moans.

"John! That was my _boob, _for god's sake. Wait until we get into the bedroom, and I- Oh god, John. Keep doing that. Yes. I feel like I'm Rachel from _Something Borrowed._"

Cammie looked at Zach. 'Mom', she mouthed, then mimicked choking herself.

A male voice was heard next. "Well, Rachel, considering that your hands are _in my pants _right now, you shouldn't be talking."

Sounds of heavy kissing and moaning were heard shortly after.

Cammie returned from the bathroom.

"I think that was the first time I barfed in about… seven years."

Zach nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it stinks in here. What did you _eat _today?"

Cammie launched a pillow at him. "Shut up. If your mom was sleeping with a man almost half her age, you'd be barfing too."

"CAMERON ANN MORGAN! OPEN THIS DOOR IMMEDIATELY."

Cammie rolled her eyes. "Yes, mother," she yelled back.

Cammie approached the door, and just to summarize what she saw, Cameron Morgan was officially scarred for life.

* * *

The next morning, Cammie lay sprawled on the floor, her head on Zach's muscled chest. Her shirt has ridden up, so her flat stomach showed.

Zach opened his eyes, blinking rapidly, adjusting to the light.

"Cam? Wake up," Zach said, shaking her.

Cammie didn't move. In fact, she continued snoring.

Zach heard a door close from upstairs.

"John! Come on, stay for a bit."

Sounds of kissing echoed.

'Geez, don't they ever stop? The moaning from last night was enough to scar me and Cam for the rest of our lives' Zach thought.

And the pair started undressing each other right there, in the foyer.

Zach almost screamed. It was horribly disgusting.

"Cam, wake up."

"Whaa- Huh? Is it morning already? But I'm- Oh, ew. God. So wrong," Cammie said, shielding her eyes.

"Let's take the back door, shall we?"

* * *

Bex leaned against her locker, watching everyone pass by.

Someone leaned against the locker beside her.

"Whatcha thinkin' 'bout?"

Bex glanced at the figure beside her.

"That's not your locker."

"Oh, but it is."

"What do you want? Why are you back so soon, anyways? Cam said you wouldn't be back until a good two weeks."

The boy's eyes widened. "Cam talked about me?"

"Yeah. She was kind of drunk at the moment, so I doubt she actually meant to. Especially since she said she wanted to sleep with you."

"She said _what?"_

Bex smiled tightly. "Bye, Preston."

::

The boy leaned against the locker, running his hands through his dark hair.

Many thoughts swirled through his head, all centered around one girl.

He thought about the scene he saw a couple nights ago, hidden in that green bush on her lawn, watching _him._

Speaking of which, here they come now.

The pair walked through the doors, arm in arm, laughing and smiling.

Then the girl saw him.

Her eyes widened, and she dragged the boy over to him.

"Preston! You're back!" She looked to the boy she was with. "Look, Zach! Preston's back!"

Zach forced a smile. "Welcome back, Peter."

Preston smiled tightly right back at him. "It's Preston, Zachary."

Zach narrowed his eyes. "It's Zach."

Cammie smiled. "Well, it was nice seeing you, Preston. See you at lunch?"

Preston glanced at Zach, smirking. "It would be a pleasure."

Zach's eyes narrowed.

* * *

Macey stepped out from the bathroom, her face still glowing and perfect, void of makeup.

She strolled down the hall, Liz by her side.

Macey glanced around. "Where's Bex?"

"I don't know. I saw Cam pass by with Zach-"

"Obviously. Those two are soooooo deep into the Pit of Denial."

Liz laughed. "I know. It's been so long, and they haven't even kissed yet."

Macey nodded in agreement. "I wonder how Cam feels. You know, with Tina back and all."

"Oh, please. Tina couldn't beat Cammie in anything. She's absolutely horrible-"

Liz abruptly stopped talking, and started walking faster.

"Come on, Mace. We're going to be late to class."

But Macey being Macey, noticed Liz's sudden change in mood.

"What? What did you see-"Macey said, looking around.

Her eyes landed on the boy with dark hair and blue eyes, complete with the famous Spiderman watch.

The crowded hall seemed to empty itself almost instantaneously, leaving Macey and the boy.

The boy had yet to spot her, since he was busy with his locker.

Macey stood in the middle of the hallway, still gaping.

The boy closed his locker, suddenly noticing the complete silence.

He cautiously turned around, and his eyes rested on the girl.

Macey suddenly found the breath to speak.

"Preston."

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the late update. Vacation didn't allow me much time for updates.**

**Please review, if you'd like this to continue.**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	3. Then No One Can

Chapter 3

If there was anything the entire population of Roseville High could agree on, it was that Joe Solomon was the best teacher _ever. _

Literally. Even the pot-heads and the school-wide sluts would agree.

The second thing would have been that Joe Solomon favored Cammie Morgan.

You would've had to be completely out of your mind to not realize that.

Some people believed that Mr. Solomon liked her.

Others believed that he was her real dad.

A small population thought he was secretly a member of the Central Intelligence Agency, and Cammie was actually a really good agent gone rogue.

Oh, people and their imaginations these days.

In truth, only one person knew a small part of the _true _Joe Solomon.

::

Bex walked down the hall, Cammie by her side.

As they walked, the crowd parted, as if they were Elijah walking across the Red Sea.

Cammie felt uncomfortable. She'd never been fully adapted to this kind of treatment. Everyone treated her like a princess, like royalty.

She'd never been a mean person. Being popular had come into her world like storm.

Unexpected. Loud. Scary.

The aftershock of it had been a wonderful high school experience.

She'd felt free.

Alive.

Cammie had always been happy when she'd been withPreston.

But her friends had realized that she'd been happierwith _Zach._

Yet Cammie had never seemed to realize it.

::

Bex waltzed into the boys' locker room, walking past the half-naked, testosterone-full high school boys.

She walked up to her boyfriend's confident.

"Where's Josh?" she demanded.

Dillon chuckled. "Calm down, gorgeous-"

"Don't call me that."

"-your boyfriend is having some bonding time with our coach."

Bex raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow. "Oh, _really. _Then why haven't I heard about this?"

"He doesn't have to tell you _everything, _you know."

"Dillon, I'd like to see him _now."_

He stepped away from the door, revealing a screaming football coach, and an equally livid Josh Abrams.

"Listen away. Have fun," Dillon said, briskly walking away.

'Don't scream at him too much,' he silently prayed.

::

Cammie ran up to Macey, dragging Preston along with her. "Mace! Look whose back!"

Macey glanced at him, smiling tightly, looking at their adjoined hands. "Yeah, I know. Saw him this morning," Macey said, turning towards Preston. "Nice to see you again, Preston. I'll see you around." Macey turned back around, walking into the cafeteria.

Preston softened. "Mace, I tried to call, but-", Preston called to her.

"What? No one was home? Yeah, I doubt that. _I was waiting for you to call. _And guess what? You _never did._"

Macey started to walk towards their table, but Cammie held on to her arm.

She turned her head towards Preston. "I'll be right back. Our table is right there," Cammie said, pointing at the large, clean table.

Currently occupied by one, smirking Zachary Goode.

Also known as a very good (e) eavesdropper.

Macey turned her back to them, stalking out of the cafeteria. Cammie followed her, jogging out

::

"Macey, Preston and I aren't dating."

Macey snorted. "Yeah, right. And Tina can one day be a decent model. Cam, you don't have to lie. You two were _holding hands."_

Cammie narrowed her eyes. "Macey."

Macey turned towards her, walls starting to crumble. "What, Cams? What am I supposed to do? I cried myself to sleep for _three months, _Cams. He didn't call _once. _He didn't even try."

"He said-"

Macey shook her head, tears splattering the floor. "I saw it in his eyes, Cam. He lied."

Cammie smiled. "Macey-"

Macey slid down the wall. "Cam, I really wouldn't care anymore. You can go ahead and date him. It's better to have one person hurting than two."

Cammie shook her head. "Mace, if you can't have him, then neither can I."

::

Zach munched on his French fries. Preston sat across the table, tapping his fingers.

Zach eyed his wrist. "Nice watch you got there."

"Shut up, Goode."

Zach raised his hands in mock surrender. "Damn, calm down dude. It was just a compliment."

Preston turned on him, seething. "Look, I'm back, and Cammie still loves m-"

"Obviously," Zach cut in.

Preston glared at him.

And Zach glared right on back.

"Listen, _Peter. _I don't care if Cammie likes you back, or some other _shit _like that, but you won't have her. She's my _best fucking friend, _and I saw you and Tina the other day."

Preston's face flushed red. "That wasn't me."

Zach slammed his fist on the table, causing people to look over.

"Don't lie to me," Zach spat, getting up from the table. "And you better not fucking lie to Cammie."

* * *

**A/N: Happy 6****th**** of July!**

**Enjoy this chapter everyone. I may be away from FanFiction for a while.**

**Just a precaution. I hope you all liked this chapter. Sorry for the cussing. It was for Zach's defensive side. **

**And for dramatic effect too.**

**It might continue, but maybe not. It was actually supposed to be a One-Shot in the first place.**

**THANK YOU TO ALL MY REVIEWERS, FOLLOWERS, AND FAVORITERS.**

**I LOVE YOU ALL SO MUCH!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Bex peered into the coach's office, her head barely peeking over the windowsill. She saw her boyfriend in a heated argument with the coach, and neither one seemed to be backing down.

Her eyes widened when Josh's fist slammed into the desk, and she could hear the sound of force from outside the office.

She crawled over to the wooden door, and pressed her ear to the wood.

And she began listening.

::

Anna Fetterman walked into the History room, spotting Mr. Solomon talking to Tina Walters.

"Please wait outside, Miss Fetterman. I'll be with you in a minute."

Anna's eyes widened a bit, surprised that he had seen her, without his gaze averting from Tina. She stepped out of the room, curious about what Mr. Solomon and Tina were talking about.

::

Cammie woke up the next day, remembering the conversation she'd had with Macey yesterday.

Then she glanced at the clock.

Her eyes shot open. She checked her calendar, which had bright red X's, marking the days that had passed.

_November 18._

Shit.

Cammie jumped out of bed, threw on a bright green Aeropostale sweatshirt, and some Hollister sweats, heading straight for the bathroom.

When she came back out, breath minty and face fresh, she grabbed a pair of old Converse, and ran downstairs. She ran to the door, slamming the cabinet open, looking for the keys to her new (but rarely used) green Prius.

"Mom! Mom! Where are my ke-"

The front doors opened with a click.

And there, with two full suitcases and a duffel bag, stood Grant Newman-Morgan.

He held out a purple key ring, and shook it around, the keys jingling.

"Looking for these?"

* * *

Macey sat on the uncomfortable, wooden stool.

And next to her, sat Preston Winters.

She silently cursed to Cammie, who had 'special errands' to run.

'_Special errands MY ASS,' _Macey thought.

She listened as Dr. Fibbs droned on and on about Chromium 6 and water contamination.

"In front of you is a solution of water and another chemical compound, along with several flasks of different solutions. I want you, in pairs, to figure out which one contains Chromium 6. You have the rest of class to figure it out. Questions?"

Liz raised her hand.

"No, this will not be graded, Miss Sutton."

Liz put her hand down, and the class began talking amongst themselves.

Macey worked quietly, avoiding Preston as much as she could. She wrote down formulas, equations, and solutions. In thirty minutes, Macey did more work than she had in the past two and a half months.

Preston put his pencil down, just as they finished.

"Macey, I really didn't mean to-"

The bell rung.

Macey smiled tightly at him, gathering her books and heading towards the door.

"Sorry, I have to get to my next class. Maybe next time."

But she knew it was a lie.

They would never have time, until Macey decided she wanted to.

And she wouldn't anytime soon.

::

After school, Macey headed to Cammie's house, along with Zach, Bex, and Liz.

They parked in front of the large estate, walking through the iron gate, pressing the doorbell. Macey turned to Zach, who was leaning against the side of the house, and looked at him.

Zach looked up from his shoes, and saw Macey staring at him. Zach shifted uncomfortably, hoping that Cammie, or at least _someone, _would open the door.

No one showed up at the door.

Zach rubbed the back of his neck nervously. He coughed, but Macey still stared at him.

Bex and Liz were busy texting their boyfriends, so they didn't notice anything out of the ordinary.

Zach coughed loudly, and Macey snapped out of her trance, seemingly unfazed.

"Macey, why were you staring at me?"

Macey looked at him, with a look that said, '_Are you crazy? What did you put in your pancakes today?' _

"I wasn't staring at you, dumbass."

* * *

Six people sat in the living room of the Morgan household.

Rebecca Baxter, also known as Bex, is a British beauty, who excelled in sports, and most academics, excepting Pre-Calculus and Bio-Chemistry. Much of the male population was attracted to her, because of her exotic beauty and her unique personality. Unfortunately, she was currently dating the football quarterback, Josh Abrams. Bex wasn't afraid to speak her mind, whether it was rude or kind. She'd always claim it as true. She enjoyed shopping for anything: clothes, sports gear, and food. Especially food. She was very social, and loved making new friends, as long as they didn't irritate her. Or call her Rebecca.

Elizabeth Sutton, or Liz, was the polar opposite. Liz had an unsung beauty about her. She was dainty, much like a glass doll. Her wide-rimmed glasses gave her a cute, nerdy look, but still made her look beautiful. She was a genius. She knew practically everything, from human genotypes to all 44 U.S. presidents. Liz never wanted attention from the high school male population, yet some random nerds, and sometimes, a couple of straying jocks, who never seemed to have a 'type', took a special interest in her. Unlike many other high school sluts- Ahem, sorry, high school_ girls, _Liz had already found her perfect match- Jonas Anderson. They were officially Roseville High's Nerd Couple. Everyone loved , Liz dressed modestly, in sundresses with bright colors or a normal t-shirt and jeans. So very innocent.

Macey McHenry. Surely you've heard of her. Or at least seen her on the cover of Vogue on every September issue. Macey was gorgeous, and she let everyone know that. She dressed in all the latest fashions, and loved shopping. She helped her friends pick their outfits, no matter how revealing. Her motto was "If it has a price tag worth more than the latest Prada bag, then it's worth it for me." Macey never needed to try to look pretty. Makeup was practically useless on her. Her face was smooth and spotless, and her high cheekbones accentuated her full, pink lips. Her eyes were a deep, dark blue, and high, arched eyebrows completed her flawless face. She was a model, and wasn't afraid to tell others what she thought. Some people thought of her as a bitch, but that was only to the people she didn't like. To those who actually knew her, she was kind and thoughtful, always thinking of others. Remember: Macey McHenry is the exception to all the rules life throws at you.

Grant Newman-Morgan, known as the Roseville Greek God, had been born and raised among the soccer moms and mowed lawns of Roseville, Virginia. That was before his wonderful mother decided to send him away to boarding school. In Maine. And Grant hated it. He hated it all. The only part he actually liked was watching all the slim brunettes snowboarding down every snowy bluff in sight, with his best friend back home, Nicholas Hale. Grant had probably dated (and dumped) half of them, but that didn't bother him. Grant always got the ladies. He had the look of a Greek God, with sandy blonde hair, cut just right, and disheveled every day, to make the ladies drool. He was tall, muscled and athletic. And he had the eyes. His eyes were a light blue, mixed with green. Too bad he was a world-class idiot. Honestly, he looked perfect, but looks can be deceiving. Just look at this kid's report card.

Zachary Goode. He was the hottest, most popular boy around town, but no one really knew him too well. Until he met Cammie. Zach, with his perfectly messed up chocolate hair, high cheekbones, piercing green eyes and abs, meeting the perfect, All-American girl, Cammie Morgan. Zach was literally perfect. He had perfect grades, was on the basketball, soccer and football team, and was liked by everyone (except for the horde of guys who made up the Cammie Morgan fan club. _Yeah, _that girl had a fan club). His parents were perfect too. His dad, David, was handsome, and an important business owner, therefore never home. His mom, Cassandra, was a house wife, with gorgeous red hair and warm brown eyes. His younger sister, Reagan, was adorable, with light green eyes (not as beautiful as Zach's though), and bright blonde hair. Zach was perfect; he had everything going his way. Except one thing. The one thing that mattered most.

Cammie Morgan never seemed to realize how special she really was. She was absolutely gorgeous. Some people said she was even prettier than Macey, with her dishwater blonde hair, arched eyebrows and ever-changing sea blue eyes. She had perfect grades, was part of the volleyball, track, gymnastics, cheerleading, and soccer teams. And she was nice to everyone, so everyone liked her. Excepting the Zach Goode fan club. (Every perfect couple must have their opposing fan clubs). Cammie was liked by over half the male population at Roseville High, but none of them ever got her. Not even Zach.

Not _yet, _you mean.

* * *

**A/N: Vacation is a bitch, you guys. My iPad simply WOULD NOT let me copy and paste the chapter. UGH. Stupid iPad. Yeah, so I was on vacation in the East Coast (YEAAAH. EAST COAST! Love the beaches over there.)and I was typing up chapters, like about THREE OF THEM over the weeks, and I was supposed to update, BUT NO. My iPad wouldn't let me copy and paste. **

**Well, sorry about that rant. I'll be starting high school next week, and I'm so scared! Any advice?**

**I'll be updating more frequently this week, since I'm trying to get this story finished quick. High school might be dumped like garbage on me, who knows?**

**Hope you guys enjoyed this one!**

**I did.**

**PLEASE REVIEW. Actually, let's shoot for 8? 8-10 reviews means I'll update tomorrow!**

**Love you all!**

**Shout out to all my faithful followers and reviewers. I love you all to the moon and back.**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	5. Dead Girls and Uncomplications

Chapter 5

"Boo."

Someone's warm hands found their way onto her shoulders, sending a tingly feeling down her spine. Cammie turned around, finding Zach before her.

"Hey! Sorry about ditching you and the girls this weekend. It's just… Grant got back, and we've had to catch up and…" Cammie gave him an apologetic smile.

Zach slung a casual arm around her waist. "I get it. Besides, I spent some time over at a friend's house."

"Hot party?"

Zach gave a small laugh. "A swim party, actually. God, I never knew girls could have _that _bad of a tan."

"What you mean is endless trash cans of bronzer," Cammie corrected.

She glanced across the hall, spotting Preston at his locker.

With Tina Walters.

Laughing and smiling.

_Flirting._

Cammie watched as Preston whispered something into her ear, and she leaned forward and touched him on the arm. Her smile was bittersweet as she watched on.

Zach followed her train of sight, and watched her expression fall. He tugged on her waist.

"Why don't we get going? Don't want to be late, now, do we?"

::

Cammie walked into her AP Calculus class, sitting down next to Liz.

"Hey," Cammie greeted, "Did you get Bex's text over the weekend?"

Liz turned towards her. "What text?"

Cammie looked at her, confused. "Didn't you get it? The one about Josh."

Liz's eyes widened. "She told me about that on Friday."

"Friday?! I got the text Saturday morning!"

Liz lowered her voice down to a whisper. "She told me that she was in the boys' locker room, and Josh and the coach were having some huge blowout. She overheard their conversation," Liz said, glancing around warily, before she continued again. "Apparently, Josh had been caught having sex in the boys' locker room."

Cammie, once again, was confused. "Wait, with Bex, or with _another girl?_"

Liz lowered her voice even more. "With _Courtney Bauer._"

Cammie's notebook slid off her desk, and landed with a loud _thump._

Mr. Moscowitz's head tipped up sharply. "Ms. Morgan. Is everything alright?"

Cammie ducked her head under the table to get her notebook. "Yeah, I'm okay!" she called.

The notebook was placed safely back onto the table, with a few discarded papers on top.

Cammie turned back to Liz. "Courtney Bauer? But she's-"

Liz covered her ears, "Please don't say-"

Cammie's voice broke as she finished. "She's _dead._"

::

Cammie slid her tray of Caesar salad and fruit kabobs onto the glass table. She felt arms wind around her, and soft lips placed a gentle kiss on her cheek.

"What was that for?" Cammie asked, confused.

Zach pulled the chair out and sat down. "What? I can't show affection for my girlfriend?"

_I raised my eyebrows. "So… are you upset?"_

_Zach shrugged his shoulders indifferently._

_"As far as I know, I'm not."_

_"So what are you going to do?"_

_Zach laughed, a mischievous spark shooting through his eyes._

_"I need you to be my girlfriend."_

Cammie gave a bitter laugh, as Preston entered the cafeteria. "Oh, right. Speaking of which, has Tina been bothering you lately?"

Zach scooted his chair closer, putting a protective arm around me. "No, and I hope she won't," Zach replied. "I'm going to grab a cheeseburger," he said, getting up from his seat, "do you want anything?"

Cammie stabbed at her salad. "No, I'm fine, thanks."

Before Zach left, he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Are you okay?"

She sent him a fake smile, but her eyes gave it away. "I'm fine, Zach. Go get your burger."

He gave her a worried look. "We'll talk about this later."

Cammie watched as he walked away, and her head sunk into her hands.

_I just managed to screw everything up._

::

It was after school. Macey had gone to her locker, telling her that they were meeting up with Bex and Liz at her house to talk about the Josh fiasco. She had told Macey that she needed to talk about Madame Dabney about the upcoming drama performance. She opened the door quietly.

"Madame Dabney, can I ask you- Oh," Cammie said, looking up.

There sat Tina and Preston, making out on the edge of the stage. Tina glared at her, pulling his face down to hers, but Preston leaped off the stage, heading towards Cammie.

"Uh, I'll come back tomorrow. Tell Madame Dabney I was here, okay?" Cammie grasped the doorknob, pulling it forcefully.

"Cammie, wait," Preston tried.

The door closed with a slam.

::

Cammie tore down the hall, tears streaming.

"Cammie, wait! Let me explain!"

She let his voice drown out as she ran even faster, racing towards the courtyard.

She collapsed on the cold stone, watching the marble fountain spew water, just like her eyes.

She heard someone walk by, behind her. Probably a football player.

Zach's voice echoed around the yard, and she heard him coming towards her, descending the steps towards the fountain, where she sat.

"Hey, Camster. How've you been- What the hell happened?" Zach said angrily, seeing the streams of tears cascade down her face.

"Who did this to you?" He said softly, gently wiping away her tears.

"I saw- I saw Tina and Preston," she gasped. She leant into Zach's arms, sending a comforting feeling through her. He pulled her towards his chest, and even though he was sweaty from football practice, Cammie loved his smell.

She breathed him in. He smelled like sweat, yes, but smells of cologne, mint and _heavenly _aftershave wafted around her.

He began stroking her hair, and she snuggled into his chest. Tear stains scattered her cheeks, but she had stopped crying.

"What happened, baby?"

Cammie turned to look up. "_What _did you just call me?"

Zach smirked. "Nothing, _baby._"

She groaned, exasperated. "Whatever."

He sat there, gently stroking her hair. "So, what did you see in there?" he questioned.

Tears began welling in her eyes, and she stiffened. Zach sensed it, and wrapped his arms around tighter around her, and his fingers came up to her cheeks, wiping away her forming tears.

"They were making out on the edge of the stage, and it just-"

"Broke your heart?" Zach finished, giving her a knowing look. She nodded in response.

Zach laughed bitterly. "I know too much about that," he said, staring off into the distance.

Cammie shifted in his lap to look up at him. "What do you mean?"

"It's nothing, Cammie Don't worry about it."

She grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at her. Their eyes met. A dark, flashing emerald green, swimming with pools of hurt and despair. A light, sapphire blue flashing with comfort.

"Tell me."

Zach stared into her eyes, and Cammie was surprised by the intensity, the ferocity, _the love. _

"You wouldn't understand, Cammie. It's too complicated."

"So uncomplicate it."

"It's not that simple, Cammie. Sometimes, it's easier to keep you emotions in than let them out," he said.

"Why can't you be emotional just this once? It's like you're never showing or telling me anything! And you know what, Zach? It infuriates me! We're supposed to be _best friends._ How are we supposed to be best friends if don't tell me a single fucking thing? You don't show me any type of real emotion what-so-fucking-ever! I HATE that! Can't- you just be-"

"Cammie, you never seem to realize the things that happen around you," Zach started, his voice soft. Cammie immediately regretted yelling at him. "You thought about Preston every day. I know you did, you don't have to deny it," he said, as Cammie was protesting. "I spent every fucking day thinking about _you. _Yet, you never realized it. You wouldn't question me when I called you my girlfriend. You thought it was some joke, right?" Zach paused, looking at her. "You never thought about what I actually felt about you. You constantly told me about Preston, and every time you did that? My heart broke a little more, because I knew I could never have you, and you would never love me in _that way. _I'm sorry if I disappoint you, Cammie," Zach said, giving her a sad smile as he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder.

"I have to go," Zach said, getting up.

Cammie sat there dumbfounded. _Zach loved her?_

Her phone buzzed. _One new message._

_Well, don't just stand there! Go get him! –Mace_

Cammie glanced around warily. What the hell? How did-

Macey stood in the far corner of the courtyard, giving her a 'GO' motion.

Cammie tore out of the courtyard, racing through the hallways.

"Zach! Wait" Cammie yelled, just as Zach exited the school, walking across the lawn.

Cammie grabbed his wrist, and he turned around.

"What do you-"

Cammie pulled his head down, her lips traveling towards his. Zach's eyes widened as he realized what was happening.

Their lips met, and Cammie _swore _that her mind exploded. Kissing Zach was like… a whole new world of kissing. His lips were extremely soft, and he had responded so quickly. His duffel bag slid off his shoulder, and his arms wound around her waist, safely closing her in his embrace. Cammie's fingers were tangled in his impossibly soft hair.

It was then that Cammie realized that she, too, had fallen for Zachary Goode.

And there was no way out.

* * *

**A/N: Hi, guys. Sorry, I was busy updating my other story, When the Glasses Fall (Please check it out, if you already haven't!), so I'm two days late! I'M SORRY!**

**But, hey! Zammie! Score, right?**

**I'm thinking that I might do the next chapter in Zach's POV, what do you guys think?**

**Review if you want it in Zach's POV, or it's just going to be the normal Cammie's POV or Third Person. **

**Oh, BEX. OOOH. Josh's in some trouble.**

**Sorry for the short chapter, but jet lag has really gotten to me, lately.**

**Please review. 12 REVIEWS LAST CHAPTER. Holy ****! I'm so proud of you guys. Thank you SO MUCH to everyone who reviewed. I was ecstatic when I saw that. I love you guys SO MUCH. THANK YOU!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	6. Flashbacks and Possibilities

Chapter 6

Bex sat patiently on one of the benches, tapping her left foot against the marble floor.

She heard the slam of a closing locker, and footsteps coming closer to her. Moments later, her boyfriend appeared in her sight. Josh doubled over when he saw her, frantically pulling his ear buds out.

"Bex! What are you doing here?"

Bex raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

"No- It's just that… I wasn't expecting you here today," Josh said, obviously trying to hide something. "Didn't I tell you I had to study today?"

Bex crossed her arms, walking closer. "Josh, we're in all the same classes. I know for a fact that we don't have any tests tomorrow."

A lone bead of sweat trickled down Josh's forehead. Bex smirked, knowing that he was out of excuses.

She leaned onto one of the lockers, looking at Josh. "What? Hot date with Courtney?"

Josh's eyes hardened. "She's _dead, _Bex. Don't make jokes."

She placed a hand over her heart. "Oh, I'm _sorry. _I didn't know she was dead, seeing that you had sex with her a couple days ago!"

His hand gripped his duffel bag a little harder. "You _spied _on me?"

"Bloody hell, Josh! Did you think I wouldn't find out you were knocking up a dead girl?!"

Josh pushed past her. "You know what, Bex? I don't think I can trust you any-"

Bex slammed a hand on one of the lockers. "Are you that fucking dense? You're the one cheating on me!"

Josh's eyes narrowed. "Oh, really? You know what I heard today? I heard sweet little Grantary Newman got back from Maine yesterday. Did you hear about that?"

"Of course I did. Grant's my best friend's brother. She told me," she said through gritted teeth.

"Then how do I fucking know that you didn't sleep with your darling ex-boyfriend?" Josh sneered.

Bex slapped him, _hard. _"At least I don't go whoring around with dead people."

::

It had only been two days since Cammie kissed Zach, but she was absolutely ecstatic. She _lived _to see Zach every day.

It was odd, really. Just a couple days ago, Cammie couldn't stop being jealous of Tina and Preston.

And now?

She couldn't get the thought of him out of her mind.

Cammie was busy twirling around in her living room, thinking about Zach, when her three best friends entered through her front door. Liz left for the kitchen to get a drink.

Macey was the first to speak. "So, Camster. How's it been with the… animal?"

Bex slapped Macey's arm. "You didn't tell me she got a dog!" Bex turned to Cammie. "What is it? Yorkie? German Shepard?"

Cammie laughed.

Macey flicked Bex on the head. "Oh, you're bloody stupid, Bex," Macey said, faking a British accent. "Cammie got a _Zach._"

Liz spit out the iced tea in her mouth.

Cammie looked at her, confused. _Where'd she get that? I don't have any iced tea at home._

"Bought some mix for you, Cams. Thought you'd like some iced tea," Liz replied, seemingly reading Cammie's mind. "You know, to share with _Zach, _apparently."

Cammie collapsed onto her couch. "Did you have to tell _everyone, _Mace? Now the whole world's going to know," she said, exasperated.

"Says the girl who was kissing the hottest guy in all of Roseville. _In plain sight,_" Macey retorted.

Liz squealed. "So, how was it?"

Bex snorted. "I bet it was like kissing a frog."

Cammie slapped Bex on the arm. "Hey! Be nice," she scolded.

Macey leaned on the arm rest of the couch. "Do tell, Cammie, the _lovely _story of how Zammie came to be."

"Zammie? What the hell-"Cammie's eyes widened. "No. You _did not _make a couple name."

Macey smirked. "Ah, but I did."

Cammie groaned, and then shot up, clapping her hands once, signaling an 'end of discussion'.

"Speaking of couples: Bex, how'd it go with Josh?"

Bex sank next to Cammie on the couch. "He accused me of cheating on him with Grant. That bloody idiot," she muttered. "Doesn't even think about what _he's _done."

Liz lay on the floor, flipping through a chemistry book. "So, what'd you say?"

"I called him some choice words, and walked out."

Macey kneeled next to the box of Vogue magazines (half of which were _Grant's_), checking for unread issues. "Did he deny the whole Courtney thing?" she called.

"The jerk had the nerve to defend her. 'Don't make jokes', he said," Bex said, disgusted with the thought of her boyfriend's affairs.

Cammie placed a comforting arm on Bex's shoulder.

"It's a shame Josh isn't the dead one", she said, jokingly.

The four girls laughed, but they all thought back to what had happened just a year ago.

::

Zach had literally replayed that moment a million times last night, before falling asleep.

He'd been dreaming about this girl for forever now, and she was _finally _his.

_"Zach! Wait" Cammie yelled, just as Zach exited the school, walking across the lawn._

_Cammie grabbed his wrist, and he turned around._

_"What do you-"_

_Cammie pulled his head down, her lips traveling towards his. Zach's eyes widened as he realized what was happening._

Zach's brain had gone fuzzy once she began kissing him.

He couldn't help but think about how her lips had felt on his so _ perfectly. _Her presence, her being so close to him at _her own will, _had been enough of a surprise, when they sat alone in the courtyard. But the notion that she'd come back to him, to _kiss him like that _was enough to make him collapse.

Was it even possible to love some that much?

All his life, Zach had known Cammie. She'd always been _that _girl. He'd never stop thinking about her, and it was clear to anyone that he was hopelessly in love with Cammie Morgan.

And now, she was his for the taking.

Zach walked up onto the front porch of the Morgan household. He was about to push the doorbell, but a firm hand stopped him.

"Nice to see you again, Goode."

Grant Newman had seated himself on the bench, smirking.

Zach plastered himself to the door. "Holy crap, Grant! You scared the shit out of me!"

A soft, rumbling laugh escaped Grant's mouth.

"I'm almost as happy and giddy as Cammie was last night. It's good to see you, bro," Grant chuckled.

Zach looked at Grant, eyes wide and alarmed, but a hint of surprise and happiness reflected it all. "Wait- Cammie was _happy _last night?"

"Happy like never before. It was weird, really," Grant replied, then seeing Zach's facial expression, he stopped smiling. "Why? What's wrong, dude?"

Zach's mouth broke into a huge smile. "Nothing's wrong," Zach said, ecstatic, "Absolutely _nothing _is wrong."

Grant looked at his best friend, confused.

"Dude, what the _fuck _did you put in your Cheerios today?"

Zach grinned at Grant. "It was Lucky Charms, actually," Zach replied.

_And, boy, am I lucky._

::

_Four girls walked through the doors of Roseville High, chatting amongst themselves. _

_One of them, stopping at her locker, thought she'd heard someone scream._

_"Liz! Come on, we're going to be late for class!" _

_The girl let it go, but the scream didn't leave her mind for a while._

_Liz heard it again, after Chemistry, coming from the abandoned labs._

_ It kept haunting her; that scream. It was one of pure anguish, terror, and pain. Liz felt a terrible urge to help whoever it was. _

_She knew that if she didn't tell someone soon, she'd have to visit the counselor. So, that day, afterschool, she gathered up her friends and told them._

_"Screams? Liz, are you sure? We've been here all day, and I've passed that hallway so many times. You aren't sick, are you? No hallucinations?"_

_Liz shooed away the hands reaching for her forehead. "Guys, I'm fine. But whoever it is that's screaming? They _aren't. _We've got to help!"_

_"Liz, we don't even know if this scream was real. You're the only one who-"_

_Suddenly, an ear-splitting scream interrupted the dark haired girl. The four friends looked at each other, fear evident in their eyes._

_The blonde, slim one was the first to speak. "Someone tell me that they heard that too," the girl said, her voice shaking._

_Another one of the girls grasped her arm. "Cam- we all heard that."_

_The blonde turned to Liz. "Liz- that scream-"_

_Liz nodded, her face noticeably paler. "That's the one," she said, voice breaking._

_The model-looking girl spoke, handing shaking. "We have to go help, whoever it is."_

_The blonde girl, Cammie, nodded in agreement. "I can't get it out of my head."_

_The four girls linked arms, heading down the corridor, as the screams continued to get louder._

**A/N: Hey guys. **

**So guess what?**

** SIXTEEN REVIEWS FOR CHAPTER 5. OHMYGOD. I NEARLY FAINTED WHEN I SAW THAT THIS MORNING. **

**I'M SO LUCKY TO HAVE YOU GUYS! A HUGE, ENORMOUS THANK YOU TO ALL THOSE REVEIWERS.**

**I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH, I CAN'T EVEN…**

**So, I wanted to get at least one more chapter up before high school starts (TOMORROW!).**

**So, not much Zammie, but the girls had some bonding time.**

**Who else thought that bonding was sweet? Sorry about the lack of Zach's POV. I PROMISE that there will be absolute Zammie in Zach&Cammie POV. I just thought that a flashback in time was necessary.**

**Would you like me to continue the flashback, then hit the Zammie? Or, I could make the flashback a bit more detailed, in a later chapter?**

**Please review, and tell me how you'd like it! (I'm aiming for 15-20? Maybe a bit too ambitious, but I think you guys are just that freaking amazing.)**

**For the love of Zammie, please review!**

**I LOVE YOU GUYS SO SO SO MUCH!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	7. Of Course I Remembered

**As promised… Chapter 7 is here!**

Chapter 7

_The blonde walked quietly down the hall, heading to the labs. Her book was pressed tight against her chest, her bag slung lazily over her shoulder. As she was turning into the lab, the empty labs, a rough hand pulled her away. She stifled a scream, already knowing who it was. The boy shoved her into a closet, closing the door._

_"What the hell were you thinking this morning?"_

_The girl shied away from the towering boy. "I was going to school. Is that a crime?"_

_"You were supposed to stay with me."_

_The girl pressed against the wall, desperately trying to stay away from him. "What? So I could waste the little education I already have?"_

_The boy narrowed his eyes. "Don't talk to me like that."_

_The girl spat in his face. "I'm done, okay? I can't let you control my life like this," she said, turning the doorknob._

_The boy slid his arms around her, his hands sliding up her shirt. The girl squirmed, trying to get out of his grasp._

_"Let go of me," she hissed._

_His hands roamed over her body, and she tried to pull away. "You didn't seem to mind last night," he said, grinning wickedly, an evil glint in his eyes._

_"Let me go! Someone help me-"she screamed, before the boy slapped a hand over her mouth._

_"Shut up, you bitch," he spat. "Enjoy it while you can."_

_Her screams of terror echoed around the halls._

_The four girls, arms still linked, slowly walked down the hall, careful to make no sound._

_"Are you sure you want to do this, guys?" Liz whispered._

_"If we don't find out who did this-"_

_Another scream was emitted. This time, it was louder._

_"We're close, guys," Cammie said, her voice trembling from fear._

_The girls continued walking, ever-so-slowly, all four of them terribly scared. They heard one last scream of horror, a grunt, and then everything was silent. _

_A closet door opened, and a tall, hooded figure stepped out, walked past them, down the hall._

_Liz glanced at the boy, and saw a flash of blonde hair and clear blue eyes._

_The four girls waited as the boy left their sight. Bex dashed towards the closet, and a hand slowly rose to her mouth._

_Bex gasped, immense horror wrapping around her. "Guys, come here."_

_The rest of the girls stepped towards the opened closet door._

_Inside, laid a dying Courtney Bauer. Blood was seeping out of her shirt, and it was obvious that someone had stabbed her. Courtney opened her mouth, as the four girls grabbed a roll of Ace-bandages and dabbed at the blood. Courtney motioned to stay away from her, and the four girls stepped back._

_She opened her mouth to say something. "He stabbed me," she said, her voice hoarse and horribly soft._

_The four girls looked at the girl, who was shivering and trembling. She was dying, and dying __**fast.**__ "Who? Who did this to you?"_

_Her eyes were opening and closing quickly, and her breathing was rapid. "Harris. Jo-"_

_Courtney slumped over, her body convulsed, and then lay still._

_"She's dead. Oh my god, she's __**dead**__," Cammie whispered, grasping Bex's arm so tightly, it was turning white._

_Liz was still staring at Courtney's broken body, the blood still slowly seeping out. _

_"She was saying his name… but she didn't finish," Liz muttered. _

_Bex's eyes widened. "The guy. It was the guy who walked out of the closet. He did this!"_

_Macey ran her fingers through her tangled hair. "Too bad we don't know who he is."_

_"It has to be this 'Harris' guy," Cammie said._

_"Blonde. Blue eyes. Blonde. Blue eyes," Liz said. The three girls looked at her._

_"Liz, are you okay?"_

_Liz shook her head. "The boy. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. He walked right by me."_

_Macey looked at the other three. "If Liz saw blonde hair and blue eyes, it could be any damn guy at this school."_

_Cammie reached for the doorknob. "Then we'll find out who it is."_

_::_

Cammie shot up from her bed, shaking. That day had still haunted for nearly a year. And it was coming up.

Today was November 22, which meant that it was Thanksgiving. Cammie was glad that Grant was here, otherwise, she would be alone.

Her mom had disappeared, obviously having run off with the damn police officer.

Screw her.

Her dad had been missing for a couple years now, and she hadn't heard a word about him since he joined the Navy. She missed him though. She missed his strong, big arms, which hugged her so tightly she would squeal, but they kept her safe and warm. She missed his tall frame; because she could make fun of his basketball skills (he was really bad for a guy whose 6'4"). Most of all, she missed his personality. He was so, so protective, even more than Grant. He was loving and kind, but he took command so easily.

He would've been with them today. But he wasn't.

Cammie hugged her knees to her chest, tears slowly rolling down her cheeks.

"Happy Thanksgiving, Camster!" Grant yelled from down the hall. He opened her door, a big smile on his face, which vanished once he saw his sister on the floor, wet tears flowing.

"Cam? You okay?" Grant walked towards her, sitting down beside her.

Cammie leaned her head on Grant's shoulder, wiping away stray tears. "I can't help it, Grant. I just miss him."

Grant pulled his sister into a hug. "I know, Cams. I miss him too."

Cammie looked at her brother, his blue eyes staring at her. "Why did he have to go?"

Grant smile, a soft one. "Sometimes, the best people in the world are the ones who deserve to be with God."

::

Zach stood nervously in from of the door, holding a single white rose.

Cammie had never liked red roses. She had said that red reminded her of blood, and she didn't like blood.

Thus the white rose.

Zach raised a shaking hand to the doorbell, and pressed.

_Why I am so nervous? It's just Cammie, you best friend._

_Well, duh! She's __**Cammie. **__What's not to like._

Zach's conscious conflict caused him to start thinking about Cammie. How her long, soft, golden blonde hair always framed her face perfectly. How her deep blue eyes would always change, making them so mesmerizing. How she was the perfect height, and it felt so comfortable and _real _when he held her in her arms. How her tinkling laugh made him want to make her laugh all the damn time.

He loved her, and _only _her.

There was no changing it.

Zach glanced down at his shoes. He was wearing a pressed navy blue button-down, the first three buttons undone, and a pair of slim, dark jeans.

The door opened, and Grant Newman stood at the door, staring at him.

Zach raised a hand in greeting. "Hey, Grant."

"Zach."

Zach looked at his best friend. "You _are _okay with this, right?"

Grant rolled his eyes. "Yeah, because my sister and my best friend dating each other isn't weird _at all_."

"Grant, it's not like I'm going to rape her."

"For I all know, she's doing this against her own will."

Zach punched Grant on the arm. "I wouldn't do that to her."

Grant raised an eyebrow. "You better make me believe that."

There was an awkward silence, before Cammie came running down the stairs, pulling on a pair of sandals. She was dressed in a plain white sundress. Zach never thought she had looked more beautiful.

"You ready, princess?" Zach said, smirking, handing her the rose.

"Oh!," she said, looking at the rose. "You remembered," she said, kissing him on the cheek.

"No red, no thorns," Zach replied, kissing her hair. "I always remember."

"Thank you," she whispered, walking down the front stairs with him.

"Don't get raped, Cam!" Grant called.

Cammie looked at Zach, who was chuckling.

"_Raped? _What the hell is he talking about?" Cammie said, confusion and anger mixing in her mind.

Zach placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Don't worry about it, Gallagher Girl."

He took her hand, leading her to his bright red car. He opened the passenger door. "Shall we?" he said, with a smirk.

Cammie stepped into the car.

::

Zach handed her a blue scarf, which she took. She sniffed it. And recognized the smell immediately. _Zach. _She kept inhaling the scent, drunk on the smell of him.

"Gallagher Girl, that's supposed to be put around your eyes, not up your nose."

"But it smells good," she protested.

Zach took the scarf, and sniffed it once. "It smells like me."

Cammie climbed onto him, her legs wrapping around his waist, and hugged him tightly. "And that's why I like it."

Zach hugged her back, burying his face into her hair. "Grant's still watching us, you know."

Cammie pulled back. "You're scared of Grant?" she said incredulously.

Zach scoffed. "Of course not!"

Cammie looked at him.

"Maybe a little bit," Zach said sheepishly.

Cammie smacked him on the shoulder. "He's your best friend, for god's sake!"

"I know. It's just…"

Cammie laughed, and Zach found himself mesmerized by the sound once again.

"It's okay, I'll protect you."

Zach laughed. "That won't be needed. There's only one thing I need from you."

Cammie looked at him, meeting his eyes. "What's that?"

Zach lifted her chin up, kissing her softly. Cammie gasped, kissing him back immediately. Zach's arms wrapped tightly around her waist, and Cammie pressed against him, closing the minimal gap to nothing. Zach kissed her with a burning passion, and Cammie just as much. They were perfectly in sync, as if kissing was a rhythm between each other.

Grant watched on as they kissed with fervor, and realized that Zach, in fact, had convinced him. He wasn't going to hurt Cammie, because he was going to be the one _protecting _her.

He couldn't help but let a certain girl drift into his mind, as he closed the front door, and retreated to the music playing in his room.

::

**A/N: I'M SORRY! I know it's been a week, but in my defense, I started high school, and GEEZ, THERE'S A LOT OF HOMEWORK!**

**I wanted to put the special date into this chapter, but I decided that a longer, more detailed date chapter would be needed. That will probably be up by this weekend, if not earlier.**

**OHMYGOD, YOU GUYS! SEVENTEEN REVIEWS (last I checked) FOR CHAPTER 6! Thank you guys soooooo much! I can't explain how much this actually means to me. You guys are the best!**

**I want to get to know you guys better! **

**To those who started school already, how has it been going? How's school? New friends? Old teachers? Any cute guys in your biology class? (There are usually one of those.)**

**To those who are STILL in summer vacation, how are you guys enjoying yourselves? Having fun? Getting tans? Summer boyfriends? **

**Thanks to all my beautiful and gorgeous reviewers, followers, and favoriters!**

**I love you guys bunches!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	8. Endlessly

Chapter 8

Thanksgiving at the McHenry was usually huge, full-blown feast. 16-year old heiresses and their filthy-rich parents came into the house and sat their asses in the gold-plated seats.

This year was no exception.

November 22 was always a busy day in Roseville, because dozens of heiresses would be arriving in sleek black sedans, and their parents along with them. There were so many cars on Macey's street. She didn't remember there being so many last year.

Macey stood in front of her huge, towering house, complete with balconies, white marbles walls, golf course, tennis and basketball courts, and a pool. It was almost a town itself.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder. "Is this the McHenry household?"

Macey turned around, and studied the boy before her. She had never seen him before, but _damn, _did she wish she had.

The boy was tall, probably 6'4", and strongly built. Macey's eyes traveled discreetly to his stomach, and she could see the outline of his abs through his shirt. His face was chiseled, and complete with beautiful blue eyes.

Macey smiled in greeting. _Oh my Prada, this boy is gorgeous. _"This is my home, yes. Why do you ask?"

She scoffed at herself. _That's right, McHenry. Be the rich, literate heiress you're supposed to be, _her conscience told her.

The boy smiled a breath-taking smile. Macey didn't think that a smile could be so perfect.

But this boy seemed to make everything she had believed in go down the drain, in a matter of seconds.

"Well, Miss McHenry, I presume, it's nice to meet you," he said, extending his hand in greeting. Macey shook it lightly.

"My name is Nicholas Hale."

::

Bex sat awkwardly in her living room. Her aunts and uncles had arrived early in the morning from London, and were now conversing animatedly with her parents.

Bex was bored out of her mind.

The abundance of cousins didn't help either. The girls were busy taking selfies and posting things on Instagram.

Bex could see it now.

_'OMG! I'm in America, chaps. #American #Hamburgers #FrenchFries #FatPeople'._

She couldn't even _stand _to think what the boys were doing.

The boys were adjusting their bow ties, and busy making tea.

Did they even _understand _Americans? Had they even seen a can of Coke before?

Bex excused herself, and walked out of the room, heading upstairs.

She collapsed onto her bed, and buried herself in her pillow. She must have fallen asleep, because when she opened her eyes again, her best friend's brother was sitting at her desk, flipping through her papers. As if being in a teenage girl's bed room was the most _normal _thing to do.

Bex nearly fell off the bed. "Grant! What the bloody hell are you doing in here?!"

He shrugged nonchalantly. "Your parents let me in."

"Yeah, but…"

Grant spun around in the chair. "Cammie ditched me for Zach. On _Thanksgiving,_" he said, laughing and shaking his head. "You were the next best thing."

_I was the next best thing? What's that supposed to mean?_

Bex's eyes widened, just the slightest. She bit her lip, and a small trail of blood came trickling, and Grant noticed.

"Bex, your lip is bleeding," he said, pointing.

She rolled her eyes, grabbing a napkin. "What do you want, Grantary?"

"Well, I wanted to spend Thanksgiving with you. Is that a problem?"

Bex raised an eyebrow. "Why the sentimental words?"

Grant stood up, taking Bex's hand in his. "It's Thanksgiving. Let's go celebrate together," he said, completely ignoring Bex's statements. "You don't have any problem with that, right?"

Bex stood there, sparks flying all throughout her body, and Grant's touch sent shivers down her spine.

Grant smirked at her, and led her out the door.

::

Zach pulled on the scarf, securing it around Cammie's eyes. "That doesn't hurt, does it?'

Cammie shook her head. "No, it's fine," she said, suspicion rising in her voice. "Where are you taking me?"

Zach smirked. "That would ruin the surprise, wouldn't it?"

She smacked his arm, and he flinched away. "Damn, woman. You hit _hard._"

"Drive the car, you moron," she said.

Zach faked a salute. "Yes, mamn."

He pulled out of the driveway, and began driving.

"So, you're not planning on raping me, right?" Cammie asked.

Zach scoffed. "Don't pretend you wouldn't like it."

"I wouldn't," she said, amusement lacing her words.

Zach swerved to the side of the road. "_What _did you say?"

Cammie smiled, the blindfold still covering her eyes.

Zach pulled it off, and forced her to look at him. "You wouldn't _what, _Morgan?"

Cammie stared at him blankly. "You mean, you think that I-"she broke off, laughing. "You think I actually _like _you?"

Zach pulled her onto his lap, grasping her waist. "Oh, but don't you, Gallagher Girl?" he whispered, his lips brushing against the shell of her ear.

Cammie's cool façade crumbled a bit. "No, of course not," she muttered, trying to push away the pounding feeling in her heart.

Zach kissed her neck, repeatedly.

"Oh, _of course not, _"Zach mimicked. "Gallagher Girl, it's not good to lie."

"I don't lie!" Cammie protested.

"I beg to differ," he said, smirking into her hair.

Cammie rested her head on his chest. "Can we just stay here for the rest of the night?"

Zach pulled away to look at her. "Do you know what that sounds like?" he said cheekily.

Cammie rolled her eyes. "Fine. Where are we going?"

"The town-"Zach started, and then narrowed his eyes. "Nice try, Gallagher Girl."

She shrugged. "It was worth a shot."

Zach started the car, and began driving, then abruptly stopped, looking at Cammie.

She grinned at him.

"Aren't you forgetting something, Miss Morgan?" Zach asked, dangling the blue scarf in front of her face.

"Damn. I can't get anything past you," she grumbled, tying the scarf around her eyes.

::

Macey showed the guest through the front doors, and he looked around the foyer, complete with gold trimmings and large paintings.

"So this is _the _McHenry House?" Nick asked.

Macey smiled. "Yeah, it is."

Nick turned to her, and Macey suddenly became entranced by his eyes. She felt him moving closer, until she snapped out of her thoughts.

"Come on, I'll show you the garden," she said, taking his hand in hers, ignoring the tingling shooting up her arm.

They twisted and turned, until they arrived in the garden, void of all humans.

By the time they arrived, Nick was panting. "How do manage to walk that quickly in _heels_?" he inquired.

Macey shrugged. "That higher the heel, the closer to heaven," she stated nonchalantly. Nick rolled his eyes.

Nick opened the doors, and closed it quietly behind him. "Wow… this is…"

"Beautiful?" Macey answered.

Nick turned towards her. "Not as beautiful as other things I've seen," he whispered, staring at her.

Macey coughed. She _would not _let this rich momma's boy get into her head.

Macey led him further into the garden, and they walked along the stone path. They stopped at a stone bench, and they sat down next to each other.

Macey internally shivered when he put a strong, muscled arm around her waist.

_Get it together, Princess!_

Macey opened her mouth to speak, but her strong voice failed her. Instead, a slightly breathy tone came out.

"My dad proposed to my mom right here," Macey said, still not recovered from the arm around her waist, which was still there.

Nick smiled mischievously. "Why do you find the need to tell me that? After all, I could be a complete stranger."

Macey shrugged. "Maybe I trust you," she stated simply.

Nick leaned in close, and Macey tried to keep her cool.

"Really? I wouldn't peg you as the type to trust a boy," Nick whispered, his minty breath wafting around Macey.

Macey closed her eyes, trying to calm the rapid beating in the chest.

"Why wouldn't I trust you?" she stammered.

It was odd, really. Macey had never been_ intimidated _by a _boy._ She wasn't used to it.

But here he was. Nicholas Hale, breaking all her walls, making her _nervous._

Call the police, this is an emergency.

He pulled her close to him, and, if it was possible, Macey's heart rate beat even faster.

"Is there anything else you'd like to tell me?" Nick asked, his breath low and sexy, and the smile hidden in his voice.

Macey shifted in his lap, and turned to face him. She was surprised by the close proximity of his face.

His _gorgeous _face.

Macey studied him. His beautiful blue eyes, which sparkled mischievously in the sunlight. His cheekbones were high and defined, and his plump, pink lips accentuated the rest. Macey ran a light hand over his stubble.

Nick stared down at her, and slowly, ever-so-slowly, he began leaning down.

::

Zach pulled to a stop, and Cammie heard the opening of the door. Zach grabbed her hand and pulled her out. Her foot met the stone pavement. Immediately, she knew where Zach had taken her.

Zach pulled the blindfold off her, and wrapped his larger hand around hers.

"Do you remember this?" he whispered, wrapping his other arm around her waist.

Cammie smiled, leaning into his chest. "Of course. How could I not?"

They walked along the streets of the Town Square, walking past the ancient steel lampposts, and the dozens of bakeries. Cammie stopped for a cupcake, which Zach paid for. Cammie glared at the cashier, who was ogling her boyfriend the whole time.

They stopped at the small plaza, sitting down on the stone benches.

Zach pulled his girlfriend close, as she happily munched on her cupcake.

Cammie smiled up at him, and he gently wiped the frosting off her mouth.

"Thank you, Zach. This was really sweet."

Zach smirked at her. "Well, we had our first unofficial date here-"

Cammie shot away from him. "That was _not _a date."

"Oh, of course. Because giggling and flirting with the _hottest guy ever_ while having coffee in a local café _isn't _a date," Zach said sarcastically.

Cammie kissed him lightly. "Fine, whatever."

He hugged her close to him. "You're too beautiful, you know that?"

"And you-" Cammie replied, "are too amazing." She smiled at him, a beautiful, genuine smile.

Cammie leaned up, while Zach leaned down. Their lips met each other's halfway, and they kissed, softly, gently. It was a message of love, a message of promise. It showed their deep, undeniable love for each other. Fireworks exploded in Cammie mind, and Zach's head literally felt like it was melting. Both of them were guilty for these feelings. They each played a part in their life, and it was an important one. It was a promise of eternity, that the other would never leave. They would stay together, no matter what stood between them.

The pair continued kissing, in plain sight, but neither of them cared.

They relished in the moment, of being together.

_::_

_Yeah, the ink may stain my skin,  
and my jeans may all be ripped.  
I'm not perfect, but I swear,  
I'm perfect for you._

_And there's no guarantee,_  
_that this will be easy._  
_It's not a miracle ya need, believe me._  
_Yeah, I'm no angel, I'm just me,_  
_but I will love you endlessly._  
_Wings aren't what you need, you need me._

_~The Cab (Endlessly)_

_::_

**A/N: So there's Chapter 8 for you guys!**

**Honestly, I cannot thank you guys enough for all the support you have given me these past few weeks. 51 REVIEWS FOR THREE CHAPTERS! I love you guys so much, I swear.**

**So, I know the date was a bit simple, but I wanted it that way. It was meant to be reminiscence, a reminder of how they met. **

**So… Macey, right? Yeah, I wanted to have a backstory for her life too.**

**I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter… I had a lot of fun writing it.**

**Anyways…HAPPY VETERAN'S DAY, GUYS!**

** Question of the Week:**

**What will you guys be doing for the weekend, the holiday?**

**I know what I'm doing: HOMEWORK.**

**Have a great holiday! I love you guys so much!**

**Please review! 16+ reviews, and I'll update by Wednesday.**

**Please with a cherry on top.**

**~Ilovemesomecupcakes**


	9. Getting Our Hands Full

**Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns everything, absolutely everything.**

Chapter 9

Joe Solomon held secrets.

Many of them.

Secrets that couldn't be revealed.

Tina Walters knew some of these secrets.

How? You might ask.

Tina always found a way to get what she wanted.

Zach was a different case, but she was long over _that. _He could whore around with the Morgan bitch. She didn't care.

Joe Solomon _hated _Tina Walters. Yes, he was ten years older than her, but the secrets held him back. He couldn't afford to let them come out. She used them to do things. (No! Not _those _kinds of things, you dirty minds, you.)

So who _was _Joe Solomon, really?

What were his secrets? What did Tina know?

No, I will not tell you, today. Stop asking pointless questions.

Joe Solomon, huh?

That's a story for another time.

::

Liz was at school, early, like usual.

Walking through the empty halls was not new to her.

Today, however, was a different case. Liz passed the lockers.

She passed the theater doors, where she saw Cammie practicing her lines. She gave a small wave before moving on.

She passed the cafeteria, where fresh trays of salad were being pushed in.

She passed the gym, where the boys' basketball team was practicing for today's big game.

She passed the abandoned labs.

She passed the closet.

Liz suppressed a shudder, but fear and anxiety rose through her, almost consuming her.

She dug desperately through her bag, checked her phone, and the date.

_December 2. _

Liz's eyes widened in realization.

_No, it can't be today._

::

Cammie tore out of the drama theater, sweating her guts out.

_I swear, Tina Walters has no idea how to operate the air conditioning system._

Zach was leaning on the wall next to the door, waiting for Cammie.

"Good morning, Gallagher Girl," he said brightly. He eyed her up and down.

"You're sweaty, babe."

Cammie gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"You look wonderful, too," she said sarcastically, dragging him through the halls.

Zach scrunched his eyebrows.

"You got your sweat on me!" he protested.

Cammie opened her lock. "Suck it up."

Zach pouted. "You're not a very nice girlfriend," he said, crossing his arms. "Remind why I like you again?"

Cammie glared at him.

Zach stared back, holding back the infamous smirk.

She stormed off, muttering vaguely about 'dumb boyfriends' and know-it-all assholes'.

"Hey!" Zach said, running after her. "I'm sorry, okay?"

The scene was all too funny to the rest of their crew.

Who would've thought?

_Zach Goode _begging for _forgiveness_?

That was a headline no one had ever heard before.

::

Macey sat in her seat, quietly taking notes in her first period American History class.

"The French aided George Washington quite a bit in the Revolutionary War. They provided funds, weapons, troops and supplies to the American army. Rochambeau, a French general, helped Washington form the battle plan that led to the British' surrender at Yorktown. Washington and Rochambeau strategically placed-"

A knock on the door interrupted the (extremely boring) teacher. He set down his wooden pointer and lowered his glasses, sighing.

There, standing in the doorway, smiling _that _smile, was the boy.

The boy from Thanksgiving.

Macey glared at him, silently sending him a '_What that hell are you doing here' _look.

Nick grinned at her. "Hello, sir. My name is Nicholas Hale, and I'm new at this fine school."

A couple girls swooned at the excessive manners Nick spewed out from his mouth, while Macey rolled her eyes in complete and utter exasperation. Nick winked at them, flashing another smile.

The teacher seemed to brighten at Nick's maturity.

_Yeah right, _Macey thought.

"Well, Mr. Hale, why don't you take a seat next to Miss Walters over there," the teacher said, pointing to the girl in the back, blowing on her freshly-painted nails, "who _will _put away her nail polish, am I right, Miss Walters?"

Tina rolled her eyes, looking up from her nails. Her eyes widened when she saw Nick, and she smiled at him (the smile known as the _slut-smile_, by the way), leaning her elbows down on the desk, exposing her breasts.

_Oh hell no, bitch. Get your gorilla face away from him. Call yourself a model? More like a-_

'Excuse me, sir. Do you think I could sit there," Nick said, pointing to the empty seat by the wall, "instead?"

Tina looked offended, and obviously hurt that this god- Sorry, this _boy_, wanted to get away from her.

_Everyone wants to get away from you, Walters. Get used to it._

The rest of the class turned around, staring at Macey. Wait, no, not at _her_.

The seat _next _to her.

_The_ _empty seat next to her._

"What the hell? How the fuck did that get there?" Macey screamed.

The teacher narrowed his eyes. "Miss McHenry, language please. You would do well to learn some manners from Mr. Hale, here."

Nick smirked at her.

Macey's mouth dropped open. "_Him?" _Macey said, pointing at Nick. "_Manners?_" she said, not believing a thing before her eyes.

Without another word, Nick slid into the seat next to her.

It all rushed back. The arm around her waist. The flashing blue eyes. The garden. The warm breath that fanned her face. The dancing. The rain. His lips traveling dangerously close to hers.

"Nice to see you again, Macey," Nick whispered, while Tina shot flaming daggers in her direction.

"Likewise, you snob," Macey retorted, nose held high.

She ignored him for the rest of the class.

::

By the time Zach had caught up to Cammie, she was tumbling over, laughing, and Zach was huffing, tired from the wild goose chase she had sent him on.

"Gallagher Girl," Zach said, taking a breather before continuing. "I thought we were over the 'Make fun of my gorgeous boyfriend' thing."

"I didn't know I was dating Noel Kahn (A/N: You know, the one from PPL?)," she said, grinning.

Zach leaned on the wall beside her. "If I recall, he looks like me."

"No, absolutely not. Noel Kahn looks _good_, and you," she drawled, "don't have a single beautiful cell in your body."

Zach cocked his head to his side. "We covered lying too, Cam."

Cammie rolled her eyes, but the playful banter continued, and the pair ended up being thirty minutes late to class.

::

Cammie toppled through her front door, landing on Zach, who had landed on Grant, who had landed on Bex, who had landed on Macey, who had landed on…

Well, you get the point. They're a bunch of crazed high schoolers that like to fall on top of each other.

Nick, some guy from Macey's History class, who was currently at the bottom of the pile, rolled out, causing the rest of us to fall over too.

"Nick! What the hell?" Macey yelled, brushing off bits of dust.

He smiled back at her. "I didn't hear you complaining when you were _on top of me_," he said, emphasizing the last part just a little _too_ much. Nick disappeared into the kitchen.

Cammie lay next to Zach, who grasped her hand tightly, massaging circles into her palm.

Bex sat up, still red-faced from Grant's extreme weight. "Come on, guys. We have a couple of hours to kill!"

Zach rolled over. "That better not be my new nickname, Baxter," Zach grumbled.

Bex laughed sarcastically. "Oh, don't I wish."

Liz's face was _very _red, probably because she was lying on Jonas.

"Why don't we play a friendly game of volleyball?" Macey suggested.

The rest of us turned to look at each other, and heads nodded in agreement.

Zach got up, and then offered me a hand, which I took graciously.

Nick appeared in the doorway, grinning.

"Did I just hear the word 'friendly' come out of _her_," he said,pointing in Macey's direction, "mouth?"

I nodded slowly.

Nick's jaw snapped open. "Holy shit. I don't fucking believe it. Macey McHenry said the word _friendly_." He shook his head in mock disbelief.

The rest of the group had a sudden, unified moment of realization.

_Macey's got her hands full with this one._

::

**A/N: That was a pretty shit chapter, guys. I'm sorry. Writer's block has gotten to me, and I had it so bad that I even wrote a One-Shot to clear my mind. You guys can check it out, if you want.**

**This was actually kind of a filler chapter, because you guys have been kind of creeped out by the whole Courtney thing. I'm pretty sure you guys want to know who this Harris guy is, huh?**

**Don't worry. All in good time, my beautiful people.**

**Question of the Chapter:**

**Favorite Song? At the moment, mine is probably Sunday Morning, by Maroon 5.**

**I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH! **

**10 reviews and I'll update by Saturday? **

**Please review. Honestly, when I get more reviews, and I think most authors would agree, I have more inspiration to write better, longer chapters. So type a few words, and hit that button down there!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	10. Harris Harris Harris

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Ally Carter. Song lyrics belong to The Afters.**

Chapter 10

Macey picked up a pink flyer.

_Roseville High presents Tina Walters, gorgeous model, amazing actress, and perfect student, in the drama production of-_

Macey tore the paper up.

_Who the hell does Tina think she is? She's fake. Gorgeous model __**my ass. **__More like a sloth on Jimmy-Choos. Oh wait! Those are fake too!_

At the bottom of the flyer had been a tiny asterisk.

_Cammie Morgan will be the lead actress._

Macey threw the torn flyer down, and stormed down the hallway.

_Walters, I'm going to stuff your surgically-enhanced breasts down your throat, so I never hear that screechy voice again._

::

Bex came to school the next day, hand in hand with Grant. They hadn't exactly made up and gotten back together, but they were good friends.

Josh came up to her with his 'posse'.

"What happened to not working up poor Grantary, here?" he said, smiling smugly.

Bex pushed him away. "Fuck off, Abrams. We're just friends."

Josh smirked. "Isn't that what they all say?"

Grant stepped forward, towering over Josh. "She asked you to go_."_

Josh sneered at them. "What? Go to my car? Yeah, I'll meet you there, babe. We can get it on, just like old times," he said, winking at Bex.

Bex lunged forward, hoping to give the jerk a black eye. Grant held her back, as he had never been an advocate for violence.

"Aw, babe. I know you want me. I want you too. Why don't we go off into my car so we can-"

Josh went flying across the hall, slamming into one of the lockers.

Grant stormed over to him, and placed a foot on his chest.

"You don't fucking talk to her like that, got it?"

Josh meekly nodded, a small trickle of blood escaping his mouth.

The intercom was heard from above.

"Mr. Harris, would you please come to the office? Thank you."

Josh's eyes widened, and people began flooding the halls.

Bex vaguely remembered the name 'Harris'.

_Harris. Harris. Harris._

Bex turned to look back at Josh, and saw his friends helping up.

_Harris. Harris. Harris._

More people flooded the halls, engulfing Bex.

_Harris. Harris. Harris._

Josh was gone.

::

Nick was absolutely convinced that Tina Walters was a psychopath. It was like girls in Roseville had never seen a living male before.

Other than Zach Goode, of course.

Nick was walking towards the cafeteria, when Tina dashed in front of him. She hurriedly pulled her shirt down, further exposing her breasts.

_God, what's in these girls' heads? Not all guys care about boobs!_

"Hey, Nick," she purred, almost causing him to regurgitate his breakfast.

"Hi, Tina."

She placed a hand on his arm. "So… I was thinking that we could head out-"

Macey exited the cafeteria, and Nick saw her, locking eyes. Her eyes darted to his left, where Tina was standing, with a hand tracing up and down his arm.

Her eyes narrowed, and Nick thought he saw a tear fall.

_No. That can't be. Macey doesn't cry._

Nick roughly pushed Tina's hand off him, and she toppled over.

"Nick! Help me up!"

Nick turned back, his rudeness getting the better of his manners. He did something that he'd never done before.

"Get up yourself."

He ran off in the other direction, eyes darting around, looking for the dark hair he had come to know and love.

::

"Mr. Harris, would you please come to the office? Thank you."

Liz stopped, her head and heart freezing over, and she began shaking.

Jonas, who had been walking with her, held her in his arms, pulling her to the side.

Under normal circumstances, Liz would've kissed the Einstein out of him.

But this was anything other than a normal circumstance.

_She opened her mouth to say something. "He stabbed me," she said, her voice hoarse and horribly soft._

_The four girls looked at the girl, who was shivering and trembling. She was dying, and dying __**fast.**__ "Who? Who did this to you?"_

_Her eyes were opening and closing quickly, and her breathing was rapid. "Harris. Jo-"_

_Courtney slumped over, her body convulsed, and then lay still._

Liz opened her mouth, but her voice failed her.

Jonas whispered into her ear, asking if she was okay. She merely nodded.

"What's wrong, Liz?"

"Nothing. It's nothing, really."

Jonas looked at her skeptically, but Liz flashed him a reassuring smile.

Liz was still shaking on the inside. Her brain screamed for help, her bones shook, and her heart trembled.

_Harris. Harris. Harris._

He was here.

And he was alive.

That scared Liz. It wasn't the kind of scared most people were used to. It wasn't stage-fright, when the trembling girl on the edge of the stage would be hiding behind the deep red curtains. It wasn't nervousness, when the popular football player would be shivering as he approached the girl of his dreams. It wasn't anxiety, when it was the final, nail-biting minute of a crucial, season-ending football game, and the home team was oh-so-close to scoring.

It was fear. It was the fear of dying.

Liz had always known that this boy, this killer, was out there somewhere.

She knew what he looked like, vaguely. But he knew who she _was_. He knew her name, her friends, her family.

He could kill them at any moment, and no one would suspect him. He would escape, and return again.

Now he was back. He was here, in the same building.

::

December in Roseville was typical. Snow usually began falling from the skies on the 4th, and little kindergarteners would run around town, making innocent snow angels.

When the 10th came around, you would find about two feet of snow piled at your front door, with no means of getting out. More snow for the little ones, right?

High schoolers loved it. They would get out of school two weeks early, so half of Roseville was probably off in the Caribbean sun or on the coast of Italy.

Zach pulled Cammie towards him, wrapping his arms around her waist and rest his head upon hers, watching the tiny snowflakes fall.

"Is it beautiful?"

"You see the snow every year, Cam."

Cammie turned in Zach's arms, facing him. "But this is the first time I've seen them with _you_."

She leaned to kiss him lightly, for just a second, but it was enough for Zach.

Zach had once been that guy who would kiss any random girl that he deemed 'hot'. They would kiss for hours and hours, and he wouldn't feel a thing. When it came the Cammie, a mere second kiss had his head spinning in circles, turning into mush.

He blamed Cammie for everything.

He became bad boy gone rogue. He was a sap, a hunch-over for love. He couldn't get enough of it. Everything that was important to him before, it had sunk down to the bottom. Football? Yes, he was still the star quarterback, and he played even better than before.

Why? Anyone else on the field, in the stadiums, or even the entire town could answer that.

It was love. Zach was in so deep, he didn't know a way out of it. Not that he wanted to.

_Cammie Morgan. My best friend turned girlfriend. My rock turned stone._

_The girl I love._

::

_If love is an ocean wide  
We'll swim in the tears we cry  
They'll see us through to the other side  
We're gonna make it  
When love is a raging sea  
You can hold on to me  
We'll find a way tonight  
Love is an ocean wide_

_~Ocean Wide (The Afters)_

_::_

**A/N: There goes Chapter 10.**

**Sorry, I was one day late.**

**Reason? Weddings suck. They take up such a long time. And the music at the reception gives you and enormous headache.**

**God, I'm never going to get married.**

**Hope you guys liked this one. **

**Harris. Harris. Harris. Who is he?**

**The mystery had jumped in, it really has.**

**Getting to know you guys:**

**Who do like better? One Direction or Justin Bieber?**

**Mine has to be One Direction. Directioners all the way, right? AND WHO HAS SEEN THE 1D MOVIE? Tell me that wasn't the best movie ever. I loved it.**

**Please review! I want to know your opinions, and get to know you guys better.**

**I love you guys, oh-so-very much.**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	11. I'll Be Fine

**Disclaimer: Everything goes to Ally Carter.**

**Chapter 11~**

Cammie had heard the voice over the intercom. The name still haunted her, despite the year that had already passed by.

Courtney Bauer had died just a year and two days ago, yet no one had noticed.

The whole of Roseville didn't even regard her, even when the school held an assembly honoring her.

"Mr. Harris, will you please come to the office? Thank you."

_Harris. Harris. Harris._

Courtney's murderer.

He had killed her, when she was so innocent.

Cammie still remembered the blood seeping out of her broken body. The memory still gave her nightmares once in a while.

_Harris. Harris. Harris._

Why did that name sound so familiar?

Cammie searched her puzzle of a mind. Bits and pieces flew around, but none of them seemed to fit.

The bell rang, and Cammie sprang up from her seat, and turned in her finished paper.

Zach met her outside the door, and gave her a small kiss on the cheek before leading her to her next class.

::

Cammie met up with her best friends during lunch.

Bex was the first to speak, but her usual calm and cool façade had disappeared, replaced by fear and agitation.

"They said his name."

Macey looked at them, utterly confused.

"What are you even talking about?"

Liz looked at Macey. "You mean, you don't know?" she whispered. Macey shook her head.

Cammie spoke up. "Some kid named Harris was called to the office this morning."

Macey's eyes widened. "The Courtney Harris?"

Liz rolled her eyes. "Unless Bex has something to say about her _idol _over here," she said.

Over the months, Courtney's murderer had been referred to as the Courtney Harris. (Bex didn't like that the murderer had the same name as Neil Patrick Harris. That British chick was overprotective like a Macey McHenry with her Prada bags.)

The four girls fell silent.

"Do you think he's actually here?" Macey asked.

Cammie shrugged. "I don't know."

A hand fell onto her shoulder, and Cammie jumped up, nearly falling off the bench. She heard her boyfriend laugh from behind her, and she visibly relaxed. Zach slid into the seat next to her, and wrapped his arms around her.

"Come on, Gallagher Girl, I don't scare you that much, do I?"

Cammie shook her head. "No, I've just got some things on my mind." She glanced at Bex, Liz, and Macey.

Zach looked down at her, worried. "Is everything alright?"

Cammie smiled. "Yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about it."

His eyebrows creased, and Cammie sensed that he was frustrated. "I always worry, Gallagher Girl."

Cammie kissed him lightly. "I'm fine, Zach."

"Gallagher Girl…" he whined.

Cammie kissed him lightly on the nose. "Zach, relax. I'll be safe, okay?"

::

It happened in American History class.

Cammie walked in, and an unfamiliar man sat in Professor Smith's leather chair.

He had clean-cut blonde hair, clear blue eyes, and didn't look a day over thirty. Cammie squinted her eyes at the stranger. He looked familiar. She felt as if she had seen this strange man before.

"Alright, class! In your seats, please!" The man clapped his hands twice, and students began filing into their seats, Cammie included.

The man picked up a piece of chalk, and began writing on the board.

"Good afternoon, class. I'm Mr. Harris, your substitute for Professor Smith today."

Cammie's pencil clattered to the floor.

::

The second Cammie left class, her phone was out, texting her friends.

Unfortunately, none of them had Professor Smith for History.

She figured that she would go after school, to find out more about this 'Mr. Harris'.

The rest of the day seemed to go by so slowly. Cammie watched the clock during Mr. Solomon's lecture about Aztec mythology, and the hand seemed to move slower than Grant without food. She sailed through the Quetzalcoatl questions, and there were _still _twenty minutes left in the period.

Drama took even longer. Cammie sat in one of the red cushioned seats in the theater room, watching as Tina sang a song to Preston, auditioning for the lead role in the play, which Cammie already had. Those stupid flyers were as fake as Tina herself. Tina's performance lasted forever, and her voice droned on and on. In the end, Cammie had deemed her performance a 'horrible, pitchy platter of shit'.

The final bell rang, and Cammie dashed out of the room, racing to the History wing. She dodged hundreds of people, screaming a couple of 'hellos' here and there. She paused for a kiss with Zach, before sending him off to football practice.

Zach hadn't liked that very much, but he obliged, heading away from Cammie.

The halls emptied quite quickly, and everything became silent. Only Cammie's footsteps were heard, echoing around the halls.

She saw a familiar boy walk into Mr. Harris' room. Cammie slid against the wall, listening to the conversation.

Mr. Harris regarded the boy's presence.

"Ah, you're actually here."

The boy spoke. "Did you expect any less of me?"

Mr. Harris laughed. "My, my. Your vocabulary has really improved over the years."

_Over the years?_

Did Mr. Harris know this kid?

"That was a low blow, Mr. Harris," the boy said.

Mr. Harris laughed again. "My boy, formalities have already been exchanged. There's no need to regard me like that."

The boy scoffed. "Is that so? I seem to remember many years of rude conversations between us."

"That was the past. Let us forgive and forget."

"I know you didn't just call me here to have small talk. What's the real reason you called me here?"

"My boy, I simply wanted to discuss events of… _the past_." Mr. Harris emphasized the last two words.

The boy seemed to know what he meant, because he took a sharp intake of breath.

"That was a year ago. I don't want to talk about it," the boy stated stubbornly.

_A year ago. Harris. Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Courtney._

The pieces seemed to fit together almost instantaneously.

"My boy, those things happened because of you. You must fix what you have done."

Cammie heard a hand slam onto a desk.

"I don't want to talk about it, Dad! Is that so hard to understand?" the boy yelled.

Cammie's eyebrows shot up, the realization dawning on her.

_Dad?_

_Mr. Harris has a son._

_He goes here._

_He killed Courtney._

_I know that boy._

_We all know this boy._

She had finally connected the pieces.

Cammie took a deep breath, and it was _loud._

In a second, the boy appeared outside the door, eyes scanning around, before landing on her.

"You."

Cammie whimpered, afraid. Her voice left her body, and she was frozen, immobile from fear.

Mr. Harris' voice came from the room. "My boy? Who's out there?"

The boy gritted his teeth together. "Nobody, dad. I'm leaving. See you at home."

He closed the door, and it shut with a satisfying click.

He turned onto Cammie. "Haven't you done enough to screw things up?" he hissed.

Cammie shrank away.

The boy grasped her wrists. "You know, don't you?" he snarled.

Cammie whimpered again.

The boy narrowed his eyes. "Do you know what happens to people who know too much?"

Cammie shook her head, terrified.

He leaned his head down towards hers. "They get hurt. Just like Courtney did."

She wanted to scream. She wanted to yell. She wanted help.

Something hard hit the back of Cammie's head, and her vision spun, before fading to complete darkness.

::

**A/N: There's Chapter 11.**

**You know what to do.**

**Reviews are appreciated. Thoughts about the chapter? What do you think will happen? **

**Who ****_is _****this boy?**

**Question of the Chapter:**

**What was the last grade you got on a test?**

**I got my math test back today, and I got a 75%. Oh well.**

**I love you all, really I do. I love you guys like Zach loves Cammie.**

**Please review!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	12. What am I Supposed to Do?

**Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns all.**

Chapter 12

In the beginning, everything was dark.

_No… that doesn't seem right. It sounds like I'm trying to write the Bible._

It was true though. Cammie was in absolute darkness, but oddly enough, she could still see.

She wandered around, and it seemed to be an endless tunnel of caves and crevices.

There was a noise that came from above. She couldn't make out what it was, but she wanted to.

She ran ahead, climbing up, over caves and twining around narrow crevices. She scrambled over rocks, and slid over slippery ice. Unfortunately, Cammie wasn't as nimble and agile as she's hoped. While climbing, she hit her head against one of the rocks, and she fell over.

She slid across the slippery rock, and just before she fell, she caught the edge.

Cammie screamed, scared for her life.

Her head throbbed and ached, and she could feel a bump forming at her hairline.

Her vision became blurry, and she couldn't hold on any longer.

::

"Please wake up."

The voice was soft and sad. She heard it, loud and clear, almost as if the person was right next to her.

She tried to open her eyes. Really, she did.

But they wouldn't open.

She tried to open her mouth, to talk to the boy.

But she couldn't speak.

She tried to move her arms, to touch the boy, to hold his hand and tell it that she was okay.

She her arms lay motionless beside her.

She wanted to move her legs, to get up and walk around freely.

And still, her legs lay useless on the bed.

"Come on, Gallagher Girl. Please wake up. Please."

There! There was the voice, again!

Cammie was sure that she wasn't hallucinating.

But her eyes still shut closed, her mouth still not opening, her arms and legs limp and motionless.

She was very much alive, but her family and friends had no way of knowing.

She heard a door shut from the far corner of the room.

"Cammie, it's your mother."

Mother?

Cammie felt the faint stroking of her hair.

"Cammie, I want to know how much I care about you, and how much I love you. I should've been there for you. Honey, I'm so sorry for-"

The door was thrown open, and Cammie jolted in fear and surprise.

Her eyes shot open, and she saw an adult woman sitting in the chair beside her.

"What the _hell _are you doing in here?"

The boy standing in the doorway was looking quite murderous, until his face shifted to look at Cammie, who was now sitting upright, trying to get into a comfortable position.

"Cammie!" he screamed. He ran over to her, and began peppering kisses all over her face.

"Oh my god, Cammie. You nearly scared me to death. Don't ever do that to me again."

Cammie looked utterly confused, pulling away from him.

"I'm sorry, but _who are you_?"

::

"That's what she said, Bex. She asked me, '_Who are you?'_. Do you have any idea how that even _feels_?"

Bex rolled her eyes. "Relax, lover boy,. She's probably just joking. You know Cam, she's always been like that."

"This isn't a joke, Bex!" Zach yelled, the tears beginning to fall. Bex jumped up at the force of his voice.

Zach collapsed into the seat, threading his hands into his hair, pulling in frustration.

Bex put a comforting hand on his shoulder, as Grant dashed into the foyer, looking around.

"I know it isn't, Zach."

Grant walked over. "Hey," he said, breathing heavily, "I heard that Cams woke up."

"Yeah, she did," Zach said, tears still slowly trickling down his cheek, and dripping onto his jeans.

Grant looked at Bex, asking for an explanation. Bex shrugged. "Cammie forgot who Zach was."

"It wasn't only Zach she forgot."

Macey and Liz walked out of the room, closing Cammie's door.

"She forgot all of us," Liz said, tears freely falling.

Macey shook her head, blinking back tears. "She forgot _everything_."

::

There were so many people walking in and out of her room. Cammie felt like she was the Oscars, or at a high school football party.

It was starting to give her a headache.

"Come on, people! Let's get moving," the doctor said, motioning for the nurses to come over. He began pointing to each nurse, as they pulled on blue latex gloves.

"Renee! Get the needles!"

"Harold! Hand me that clipboard!"

"No! Don't touch that!"

"For the last flipping time, Melanie, I don't know where her teddy bear is! Can't you see that she's seventeen?"

Cammie had concluded that the doctor, indeed, was quite frustrated.

She wasn't sure if she actually knew any of these people. Her head kept drifting in and out of consciousness, but her memory was failing her.

She couldn't remember a single thing.

Not her mother.

Not her friends.

Not even her boyfriend.

Yes, faces were familiar, some more than others, but she could not remember names. She could not remember memories themselves.

She couldn't even remember herself.

Cammie had never felt so vulnerable.

"NO! He's in the next room, for god's sake! Leave me alone! Can't you see that I'm with a patient right now?!"

Cammie wondered if men could have periods, because if they could, the doctor would be at his time of the month.

Someone knocked on the door, and Cammie recognized him as the distraught boy who had freaked out when she woke up.

Or rather, the extremely handsome boy who had practically kissed her face off the minute she opened her eyes.

The moment she had woken up, he had been at her side, asking her if she was alright.

And here he was, again.

The boy gave a sad smile in greeting. "So… you really don't remember, do you?"

Cammie shook her head. "No, should I?"

The boy chuckled, seemingly laughing to himself. "No, I suppose not. Although I could never forget about you, even if I truly and deeply wanted to."

Cammie was starting to wonder who this boy was. He was so charmingly sweet, but he didn't seem all that good either. She wanted to ask who he was, but somehow, it didn't look to be the best idea. He stood in the doorway, just watching her. This was the first time she had actually observed him.

He had tousled brown hair, which sat messily on top of his head, but still managed to make him look extremely god-like and handsome. His face was much like a model's, with a set jaw and defined cheekbones. His nose was not too sharp, but not too rounded. His full pink lips seemed to taunting her. His eyes were a startling bright green, but the black bags that hung under them showed endless nights of depression and sadness.

Cammie opened her mouth, and the question was spit out. "Were… Were you important to me?"

The boy's eyes widened, surprised by the question. "Oh, I wouldn't really know about that." He walked over to her, sitting down on the chair beside her bed, not touching her, but Cammie could feel the growing tension between them. "That would be your opinion entirely."

"You seem important. I don't really remember though."

The boy laughs. "Well, I would hope that you do remember. We had quite a few memories, after all."

::

You can't help but laugh at his jokes. He's just that charming and funny.

You always stare at him when he enters the room. He just looks like Adonis at every second of his life.

He smiles at you at least twice a day and you can't help but melt under his gaze every time. His smile shines bright like a diamond.

You can't help it. You like him so much that he causes you to make horrible Rihanna jokes. You like him so much that it pains you to see him just say 'hi' to your friends.

He's infuriating at times, and incredibly cocky and boyish.

He smiles at you anyways, even when you are completely, utterly, and impossibly mad at him.

Somehow, he knows that you could never truly be mad at him. He finds a way to cross your barriers, to break down your walls.. A single joke from him makes your heart flutter, flying into his grasp.

He reaches for your hand, and electricity courses through your body. He asks you to forgive him, and smiles.

The 'shine-bright-like-a-diamond' Rihanna smile.

You can't help it. You forgive him.

He isn't like other men, though.

He doesn't take your heart and toss it away.

He doesn't cut it up into pieces, like you thought he would.

You never figure out how he works, and you probably never will.

Yes, he flirts with other girls.

Yes, he smiles at other women.

Yes, he hugs your friends.

But you can't help but feel like the kisses he gives you are yours exclusively.

You kiss him intimately, and he returns it.

He whispers those three words that you've been waiting to hear for weeks.

And you whisper them back.

::

**A/N: **

**Finally managed to get through this chapter. Sometimes, writer's block can be the worst thing ever. Sorry about that. I really am. I was supposed to update, what? Last Friday?**

**I hope this chapter was okay for you guys. It was kind of a filler chapter or a twist in the plot, if you will.**

**Questions of the Chapter:**

**What are your favorite TV shows?**

**Mine have to be crime dramas, like Hawaii Five-O and NCIS:LA. Pretty Little Liars usually has me tugging on my blanket, on the edge of my sofa, then bursting out into tears, or screaming. **

**Yeah, I'm completely and utterly weird.**

**But what's so good about being normal, right?**

**Question #2: OHMYGOSH. UNITED WE SPY COMES OUT IN THE U.S. TODAY! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?! Oh my goodness. I'm having a heart attack right now. How excited are you guys to read it? I'm literally in the car right now, updating this chapter from my phone, on my way to get the book from the local Barnes & Nobles.**

**rEvIeW fOr ThE lOvE oF zAmMiE, aNd ThE fInAl GaLlAgHeR gIrLs BoOk!**

**I love you guys from the bottom of my heart.**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	13. Two Harris Sons

**Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns all.**

Chapter 13

Contrary to popular belief, being an amnesiac is quite endearing.

Yes, I couldn't remember a single thing, but life had decided to take its turn. My days were now spent laughing, watching my friends bicker.

Take right now, for instance.

Macey, or at least that's what I thought her name was, ran around the room, scourging for a decent hair curler.

"Goddamnit!" Macey was fuming at this point. She opened the door to our room, and it slammed opened, and stormed out.

Seconds later, Bex (that's the British one, right?) and I heard a violent scream.

"Nicholas Hale! I swear, if you touch one of my fucking things again I will personally send your ass to Bosnia!"

When I came down to breakfast, Macey and Nick were still wrestling for the hair curler. Nick was grinning, holding the wand high above his head, out of her reach. Macey had just tackled him onto the couch, desperately reaching for it.

"Now, now. I know you love me, Mace, but this is not what I meant when I said-"

Zach walked in, and I felt awfully uncomfortable when he leaned over me to grab an apple. His lingering aftershave wrapped around me, and I suddenly felt lightheaded and giddy.

Again.

It was starting to become an issue.

I heard Macey's scream of satisfaction from the couch, and her form quickly dashing up the stairs.

Nick was cussing from the couch, muttering about girls and their obsessive qualities.

"Have you remembered anything so far?" Zach inquired.

Oh, that's just peachy. As if it wasn't awkward enough, he had just started a conversation.

"No."

Zach raised any eyebrow.

"That's a lie. Just because you're an amnesiac doesn't mean you can play the 'blunt and stupid' card."

I rolled my eyes, tossing my muffin wrapper in the trash.

"It really doesn't matter, Zach," I said, brushing the crumbs off my hands.

I left him there, just to sit alone. I couldn't face him, I knew I couldn't.

And my boyfriend, who I didn't really know, was left alone in the kitchen.

::

Bex walked through the cold, Roseville snow, her footsteps imprinted into the white blanket, creating a trail.

Her cold fingers wrapped around her coat, and she was shivering. She approached the door, and lightly knocked on the maple wood door. A middle-aged woman answered, and hugged Bex.

"Rebecca! I haven't seen you in ages!" He woman's blonde hair was pinned up into a tight bun, and her blue eyes sparkled, happy to see the girl. She was wearing an apron, and smelled of cookies.

"You too, Mrs. Abrams. May I come in?"

"Absolutely! Come in!" Mrs. Abrams closed the door behind her, and hung Bex's damp coat up. "You can sit in the den. I'm making cookies. Would you like to help?"

Bex smiled. "Of course, Mrs. Abrams." She followed the older woman into the kitchen, and spent to rest of the afternoon baking cookies and drinking hot chocolate with her ex-boyfriend's mom.

::

Joe Solomon was now standing in front of the Morgan household, watching the man dressed in black, as he kept pressing the doorbell. However, no one was answering.

Joe glanced up to the window, and saw the shadows of girls, oblivious to the ringing doorbell.

_Well, who would've thought? Girls are ignorant. And they said that was exclusively boyish._

Eventually, Zachary Goode came to open the door. The man exchanged several words with him, before Zach let him in.

Joe sat on the hood of the black sedan, waiting patiently.

_Any time now._

A scream of refusal, presumably from Miss Morgan, was heard, echoing down the street.

Seconds later, another scream, this one from Miss McHenry, was heard, probably arguing with Cammie.

_There it goes._

And minutes after that, Cammie exited the house with the man dressed in black.

Joe entered his car.

::

"Oh, that man has some fucking nerve," Zach said, slamming the door.

"Well, who are you to go against the senator's orders?" Macey shot back.

Zach snorted. "Please, that scrawny boy is just his son. I could take him out in a second."

Nick pulled Macey to his side. "Well, from what I've heard, this Preston kid dated your darling girlfriend for quite some time."

"Cut the fancy language, Hale."

Nick put his hands up in mock surrender. "Sorry, Madame Mood Swing."

"Has anyone seeing Bex lying around?" Grant called from the other room.

Macey rolled her eyes. "Your girlfriend is not an object to be played with, Grant", she scolded.

Thus began the intense rummaging of couch pillows and lifting of rugs.

"Damn it! I can't find her anywhere!"

"Didn't you see her leave a couple of hours ago, you know, through the door, like a human?" Zach groaned.

Grant stared blankly at the three of them.

"You think Bex is a _human_?"

Nick narrowed his eyes. "Grant, I'm not so sure that a good thing to say if your girlfriend is Rebecca Baxter."

He gave another look of pure confusion, before bursting out laughing.

"You thought I was talking about Bex?"

Macey raised an eyebrow. "Well, aren't you?"

"No! Bex is my phone- I named it after the real Bex."

Zach threw his hands up in the air. "Oh Lord help this child."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me. You named your phone after your girlfriend? God, even Zach didn't do that! And he's _still _whipped by the girlfriend that doesn't remember him!" Nick said, extremely worried about his friend.

"Is there anything else that you named after her?" Macey asked.

"Well, there's my pillow, for one," Grant started. The three of them exchanged looks. "And then there's my laptop, my iPod, my refrigerator, and my car. They're all named after-"

"Bex. We know."

Grant looked around. "Speaking of Bex, where is she?"

_Let's give a hand to Grant Newman the nutcase, everybody._

::

Cammie sat patiently in the car, the man in black sitting next to her.

"Why does he need to see me, sir?"

The man in black seemed shocked by Cammie's questioned.

"No idea, mamn."

"Okay."

They arrived at the Winters mansion about twenty minutes later. A boy, who Cammie assumed was Preston, was waiting in the lounge, sitting on a sofa.

"Cammie!" Preston stood up, embracing Cammie in a hug. "How have you been?"

"Playing the role of a clueless amnesiac," she replied bluntly. Cammie noticed a blonde wig sitting on the bookshelf.

Preston spat out his tea, but there was a glint in his eye. Blue eyes. "What? Did you say amnesiac?"

She nodded. _Where have I seen that hair before?_

"Oh, god. Really? How'd it happen?"

The door closed, and Cammie was left alone with Preston.

::

It was around 4 pm when the mail came. The mailman lifted the red flag on the mailbox, and Mrs. Abrams asked Bex to pick up the mail. She sifted through the letters, before stopping to look at one.

The remaining letters fell to the floor.

Bex dashed into the kitchen. "Mrs. Abrams?"

The older woman pulled the cookies out of the oven, and the tray clattered onto the marble counter.

"Yes, dear?"

Bex handed her the letter. "How do you know this man?"

Josh's mom picked up the letter, reading the address label.

"Why do you ask, Rebecca?"

Bex flinched at her given name, but let it go. "Oh, just a bit curious."

Mrs. Abrams walked around the marble island counter, and sat next to Bex on one of the stools.

"He was here, a couple years ago. One of Josh's friend's dads. I believe the boy's name was Peter."

Bex's eyes widened. "Preston?"

Josh's mom nodded. "Yes! Preston, stepson of Senator Winters. Now, his father, the real one. He was a good man, really. Very smart. Handsome. Apparently, Preston's mother had divorced him, and married the senator."

"Where is Mr. Harris now?"

"He's upstairs, honey. I married him two years ago."

Bex's eyes widened. "So Mr. Harris- sorry, your husband- is the father of Josh _and _Preston?"

Mrs. Abrams nodded, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Yes, why?"

Bex stood up. "May I speak to Josh?"

::

It had been a long time since Bex had been in Josh's room. It still looked the same, with a ceiling-to-wall poster of Tom Brady, and various footballs and duffel bags strung around the room.

Josh was standing in front of the window, staring out, with his sweatpants hanging low on his hips, and his upper body void of any clothing.

This time, however, Bex was not in his room to kiss him.

"I brought you cookies."

Josh spun around, shocked by the sight of his ex-girlfriend in his room.

"Bex," he breathed. "What are you doing here?"

She looked down at the plate of warm cookies. "Your mom asked me to bring these up."

"You can set the down on my desk, thanks."

Bex stepped over a pile of clothes, and placed the cookies on the desk.

"We need to talk, Josh."

Josh sat down on his bed, one hands running through his hair. Bex noticed the cut on his forehead from the fight.

"Yeah, we do."

Bex leaned against the wall, looking at him. "Did you know about Courtney? On the day she died?"

Josh looked at her. "I knew her, yeah. We were friends."

"Did you kill her?"

Josh stared at Bex, wide-eyed. "Why would you think that I killed her?" he asked, surprised.

"We were the ones who found her, you know. We were scared to death when we found her in that closet. The blood seemed to go on for miles. And we couldn't stop it from coming out."

He looked at her. "Bex…"

Tears clouded her eyes. "Why do people get hurt so much?"

Josh stood up, reaching for Bex. "I'm sorry, Bex. I really am. I'm sorry for cheating on you, and I'm sorry for saying those things about you and Grant."

"Did you kill her?" Bex asked.

"No. I promise you. I didn't, Bex. I would never kill anyone."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "She said it was Harris, Josh. Your step dad's surname is Harris."

Josh grabbed her hands. "Bex. I didn't kill her."

"Then who did?"

He hugged her to his bare chest. "I don't know, Bex. I don't know."

Bex turned to look at him. "Did you know? Did you know about Preston?"

"What about him?"

"Did you know that he was your stepdad's son?"

"Yeah, of course. Why?"

Bex stepped away from him, and he released her. "Does that mean that he's a Harris too?"

Josh stared at her, dumbfounded. "Well, yes. Isn't that obvious?"

"Could he have killed Courtney?"

He shrugged. "Maybe. He was closer to Courtney than I was."

Bex looked at him. "Was her ever with her?"

"With her as in dating?"

Bex rolled her eyes. "What do you bloody think?"

"Well, I think so. When Preston stayed here, Courtney would come over."

Bex's mind reeled back to Courtney's death. She remembered the shock of her death hitting her.

"Preston", she whispered. "Preston killed her." Bex whirled around, staring at Josh. "Where was Preston on December 2nd?"

"Of last year? I don't know. I'm not that kind of person."

Bex pulled her phone out of her pocket, and dialed a number. "Mace?"

A muffled voice came from the other end.

"Yeah. Do you know where Preston is?"

Bex's eyes widened, and Josh grabbed her hand, squeezing it.

"No," she whispered. "NO! Get her out of there, Macey! You have to get her out of there!"

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Preston's the killer. Preston Winters killed Courtney."

::

**A/N: Hey!**

**So the killer, huh? Yeah, this chapter is kind of confusing, so feel free to review or PM me of any questions.**

**Sorry about the delay. Lots of homework this week.**

**OHMYGOD. I READ GG6, AND I LOVED IT!**

**I even got the special exclusive edition with the short story!**

**Oh gosh. I loved that book so much, but I'm so sad that it ended.**

**Question of the Chapter:**

**Who's you favorite celebrity?**

**Mine is Logan Lerman.**

**Just because he's completely gorgeous. **

**And he's practically the human version of Zach Goode.**

**Hope you guys liked the chapter!**

**I love you all so much, especially my special reviewers/followers/favoriters!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	14. Kick Like You've Never Kicked Before

**Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns the characters, not me.**

**Chapter 14**

When Bex entered the house again, it was safe to say that she didn't expect to see a lamp shattered in the main foyer, the electrical cord trailing haphazardly into the living room. Bex crept into the living room, and found Zach sulking on the couch.

"Macey forced me to stay here," Zach grumbled. "Macey's mean." He looked up at Bex, staring her straight in the eye. "Macey's a bitch."

Bex's forehead scrunched together, surprised by Zach's murderous glare and rude words.

"Zach…"

"She wouldn't let me go with them! Cammie's my _girlfriend _for fuck's sake! How does it not_ fucking apply to me _that she was kidnapped by her crazy ex-boyfriend? God, Peter's so scared that he didn't even come get her himself," Zach seethed. "I swear, when I get my hands on that mother-fucker, I'm going to wring his neck out."

Bex raised her hands in surrender. "Zachary, if you're so upset about all of this-"

"You sound like Nick. Stop talking like Nick."

She looked down at him like he was an angry buffalo, or something along the lines of that.

"Alright. Why didn't you go yourself, then?"

"Macey took my keys. She took my car, too. And she wouldn't tell me where the asshole lived."

Bex grinned. "Well, it shouldn't be too hard. The asshole is sitting right in front of me," never passing up the opportunity to make an ego-degrading joke.

Zach narrowed his eyes. "Watch it, Baxter."

"Well, it looks like _someone _didn't get their daily dose of happy powder."

"Macey took the coffee beans, too," Zach muttered.

Bex threw her hands up in the air. "Damn! What _didn't _she take?"

"Only God knows, Rebecca."

She looked around the room, scanning around the house. "Where's Grant?"

Zach waved his hands, gesturing to the rest of the large house. "Somewhere around here, looking for Bex."

She raised an eyebrow, silently asking for an explanation.

Zach shrugged. "The dumbass named his phone after you. Never knew he could love someone so much, really. It's a miracle that Grant's tied down to one girl."

Bex's cheeks inflated, and then she exhaled. Zach watched her, and Bex could see the gears turning in his head.

His head cocked to the side, and Bex's cheeks were turning red.

"Bex, where exactly did you go?" He asked slowly.

"Just around. You know… walking," she said, voice wavering. Zach raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Tell me you didn't go see Josh."

She looked to the floor.

"I didn't go see Josh."

"Good, now look me in the eye, and don't lie this time."

Bex raised her head a bit, Zach's eyes boring into her.

"I didn't go see Josh."

"One more time, no lying."

Bex collapsed on the floor, sobbing. "I went to see him," she yelled, tears beginning to form. "Happy?"

Zach leaned into the sofa. "I knew you were lying," he said, the smirk, once again, reappearing. "Now, would you like to tell me why?"

::

Nick, however handsome and chivalrous he was, had to be the world's worst driver. He won that position hands down- no opposition whatsoever.

Macey's hands gripped the side of the car, ready to scream at Nick to pull over and let her run out of the car.

"Nicholas Hale! I swear to fucking God-"

Nick grinned at her, the blur of passing cars suddenly stopping. He pulled into the driveway of the large mansion.

"We're here, darling."

Macey pushed the door open, and it popped, banging into the side of the car. She dashed out onto the sidewalk, kissing the cement frantically. Nick ran out of the car, checking for dents in the side.

"Praise the lord. Thank you God, for saving me from experiencing death at such a young age."

"Damnit, Macey! This car cost a hundred grand! Do you have any idea how much the paint job will be?" Nick burst out, livid.

Macey looked up from the ground, scanning the car. "Calm down, honey. You can deal with it. Next time," she said, getting up and flipping her hair in his face, "I advise you to refrain from driving like a gorilla on steroids." She stalked off, walking up the stone path to the door of the Winters Mansion.

::

"I don't really remember, actually."

Preston scrunched his eyebrows together. "Why not?"

Cammie stared at him. "Uh," she said, pointing to herself. "Amnesiac here."

He laughed softly. "Oh, that's right. I completely forgot."

She studied him, and the glint in his eye told her that he _definitely _didn't just forget.

Preston leaned forward from his chair. Cammie shifted uncomfortably in her seat. She didn't like the look she was giving her. Her eyes darted between the blonde wig on the bookshelf, and the unmistakably familiar blue eyes.

"So, Cammie. How has it been with you and your darling _Zachary?_" He asked, spitting Zach's name out venomously, as if it was a horrible poison.

"It's been alright," she lied, suddenly not trusting him.

"Liar."

"What are you talking about?" she spluttered, backing into the soft cushion on the seat.

Preston stood up, and Cammie backed up even further, the couch falling over as she fell.

He grinned at her, an evil smile spreading across his face.

"Didn't your mother ever tell you lying was bad?"

Cammie's back slammed into the wall. "I don't know what you're talking about, Preston."

"Bullshit!" He roared, causing Cammie to flinch in terror. "You and Zachary aren't even together. You avoid him, he avoids you. You don't even give him the time of day."

Preston stepped closer, and Cammie had no more room to scuttle backwards. Her back thumped into the wall, and it was safe to say that she was absolutely terrified.

_God help me. Anyone, just anyone, please come help me._

"It's a shame that you developed a case of amnesia, Cammie. You would've liked Courtney."

::

Macey and Nick were still standing in front of the door when Zach arrived with Bex. Macey was pounding on the door, with Nick leaning against the wood planks of the house, grinning at her frustration.

Zach tore up the pavement, running up to the door.

"Zach it's no use. I've been trying to get them to open this door for the past twenty-three minutes, and I've had no luck-"

Zach's foot connected with the doorknob, and the maple wood door cracked open, the door now displaying a lovely door-knob shaped hole.

Bex's jaw gaped open. "Remind me to tell Cam about that one day."

Macey nodded in approval. "That was a hot kick, Goode."

Zach didn't hear them. Even if he did, he made no movement to acknowledge it.

"Do you know where Preston stays?" Zach said his voice low and forceful.

The three of them looked at Macey. "What?" she said, putting her hands up. "How am I supposed to know where he stays? I haven't been here in years."

Nick waved at a figure behind Zach.

"Good evening, children," the butler said, bowing. "Are you looking for something?"

Zach nodded. "Yes, sir. We'd like to see Preston? Preston Winters?"

The butler nodded, walking over to one of the speakers. He pressed a button down, holding it, and began speaking.

"Mr. Winters? There guests here who would like to speak with you."

Moments passed before another voice came through the speaker.

"Who are they?" a voice spoke out, unmistakably Preston's. Muffled screams were heard in the background.

Zach turned to Macey, mouthing Cammie's name.

"Excuse me, sir," Zach asked. "Where's the bathroom?" He had to get closer before the butler stopped them.

The butler pointed to the left. "Down that hallway, then a right turn."

Zach dashed off, sprinting through the foyer.

The butler returned to the speaker, watching Zach's figure grow smaller.

The remaining three spoke their names into the speaker, and Nick stood, rather strategically, next to the butler.

Preston's voice came through the speakers.

"No! Whatever you do, do not let them in!"

Nick placed two fingers a couple of inches below the butler's neck, before he crumpled to the floor.

"Terribly sorry, Mr. Butler, but when my girlfriend asks me to do something, I have no other option but to comply," Nick said, bending over the unconscious man.

Macey and Bex stood dumbfounded.

After all, how many times do you get to hear Nick say that he has a not- so- official unofficial girlfriend?

::

No one had ever seen Zach run that fast. He was flying through the hallways, footsteps pounding on the white marble tiles, shooting past expensive paintings, and twisting through the massive exotic plants that kept on getting in his way.

A scream came from his left. Zach stopped cold, recognizing the voice. He walked down the hallway.

"Cammie?" he yelled. "Gallagher Girl? Where are you?" His voice almost broke. "Where are you?"

Another scream, pleading for help. It was closer this time, and Zach tore down the empty hallway.

After a couple minutes of continuous screams, Zach couldn't hear them anymore. He muttered a few expletives before turning to press his ear to every door.

After checking on six doors, Zach still couldn't find Cammie.

On the thirteenth door, ironically, he heard a deep voice, a muffled scream.

"What the hell were you thinking, bitch? They could've heard you!" the deep voice spat.

The muffled voice, which Zach had concluded to be Cammie, continued to scream.

"You've been a bad girl, Cammie. Do you know what happens to bad girls?"

Cammie screamed, and this time, it was much louder.

Zach could almost hear Preston's evil smile spreading across his face. "They die."

::

He pulled the swift kick move again, effectively connecting with the locked doorknob, and the door burst open.

Preston was trying to strangle Cammie, but she was moving too much, shuffling around frantically, with a towel stuffed into her mouth.

"Let her go, Peter," Zach growled, "or we're going to have to do this the hard way."

Preston smirked, his eyes burning with hate. "If it isn't the famous Zachary Goode," he spat. "Cammie, would you like to say a few last words to your _so-called lover_ here?"

Zach's chest tightened, cringing at the comment.

Preston's grasp on her neck tightened, effectively cutting off her air supply. Cammie was beginning to see dark spots, and her vision was going blurry.

"No!" Zach screamed. He slammed into Preston, knocking him away from Cammie. The two boys lay sprawled on the ground, and Zach got up first, picking Cammie up, pulling to towel out so she could breathe normally. Before he could take off, Preston closed his fingers around Zach's ankle, causing him to fall down hard. His body twisted so Cammie wouldn't land on the floor, but Preston's grip on his ankle twisted it, and Zach felt a sharp pain shooting up his body.

He called for backup. "Nick!" Zach yelled. "Hurry up!"

His arms were wrapped around Cammie, and Zach lifted his now-broken ankle to meet his face, and made hard contact with his nose. Preston sprang away, holding his hands to his bloody nose.

Zach stood up, pushing Cammie out the door. "Gallagher Girl, run!" He ordered. "Go find Macey and the rest of them."

"Zach…"

Zach turned to her, and gave a small smile, wincing as he put pressure on his swelling ankle. "Go, Gallagher Girl. Be safe."

Preston charged at Zach, trying to get to Cammie, but Zach's tall, firm body stopped him, and the two began tumbling into a mess of fists and kicks.

Preston caught Zach's neck in a headlock, and Zach used his upper body strength to throw him off. Preston flew across the room, smashing into a mirror.

He grabbed a shard, and began advancing towards Zach, who kicked outwards, knocking Preston off his feet. His knee gave way with a sickening crunch, and Preston screamed out in pain. The glass raked across Zach's arm, and a streak of blood formed.

Zach knew his vision was weakening due to the loss of blood. Preston was just a blurry form now, and his blood dripped onto the floor. He pulled his bloodied arm towards Preston, who was still in pain, and pressed two fingers to the base of his neck, knocking him out.

Zach's vision was blurry when Cammie ran back into the room. His chest rose and fell with deep, slow breaths. Blood surrounded his body, and Macey tore off a piece of red velvet curtain, wrapping it around his arm.

It was a mess. The ornate tables and chairs were splintered, smashed to pieces. Glass covered the floor, and the window had several large cracks in it.

Cammie ran over to Zach, and Nick examined Preston, confirming that he was unconscious.

Zach ran a soft, calloused hand across Cammie's cheek.

"I love you, Gallagher Girl," he whispered.

"Someone call 911! We have to get him the hospital!" Bex yelled.

Macey dialed the number, and began rapidly speaking to the dispatcher. "I need an ambulance at the Preston household! My friend's been hurt!"

Zach chuckled at the term 'friend'. Not even near-future unconsciousness could stop him from making cocky remarks.

"No, Damnit! Shouldn't you have the address in your damned book?"

"My friend is losing a lot of blood right now! Hurry the fuck up!"

Macey sighed, putting her phone back into her pocket. "They're coming," she said. "Hang on in there, Zach."

Cammie held on to his hand, squeezing it so hard that it turned white.

Bex kneeled down to Cammie's crying form. "Cam, what did he do to you?" she said, nodding her head in Preston's direction.

Her body shook, hiccups wracking her body. "He made me remember, Bex. He told me about Courtney. He told me how he killed her. He told me that I would die the same way, Bex. He told me that I deserved it. He said that I was a bad girl," she sobbed. "Am I a bad girl, Bex?"

Zach's clenched at Cammie's broken voice, and he wanted to stop it. He wanted everything to just _stop._

He stared up into her eyes, her beautiful eyes, and opened his mouth to speak.

"No, you aren't, and you never will be, Gallagher Girl," Zach said, before falling into unconsciousness.

::

**A/N: Honestly, I thought that was probably one of my crappiest chapters. It was incredibly predictable, but I needed to move on with the story. I'm sorry for the horrible chapter, guys.**

**Oh god. I watched Insidious Chapter 2 the other day, and it was pretty scary. It wasn't so-scary-that-I-don't-turn-off-my-lights-at-night, but it was pretty creepy.**

**And my friend wants to go watch Insidious Chapter 3 next. God, I laughed so hard in his face.**

**Well, I still deeply apologize for this horrible, predictable chapter.**

**Question of the Chapter:**

**What kind of phone do you have?**

**I have a Galaxy SIII, and it's actually pretty cool. I've gotten really used to it, and I don't know what I'd do without it. I contemplated getting an iPhone 5s… what do you guys think?**

**I love you guys, and please leave your reviews. I'm shooting for 170 before the next update, which will probably be on Friday or Saturday, but it's just a goal.**

**I'd very much like to reach it, though.**

**LOVE YOU GUYS LIKE I LOVE CUPCAKES. And that's a lot, coming from me.**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	15. Too Many Tears To Count

**Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns all.**

Chapter 15

Tina was picking outfits for her next show when she heard the news. She rushed to the hospital quickly, hoping to catch a word with her ex-boyfriend.

Tubes and wires were attached to his body, and his chest rose and fell with every breath he took. Tina watched him as he slept. He had just gone through major surgery in his arm, and she went to his side, sitting there until he woke up.

"Cammie?" Zach said groggily, sitting up. He looked to his side, and his green eyes widened when he saw Tina sitting at his side.

"What the fuck are you doing here?"

Tina placed a manicured finger on his arm. "Why Zachy, I'd like to take up your offer."

"What offer?" he said, teeth clenched.

"Well, don't you remember when you said you'd take me back whenever I was ready?"

Zach shook his head, ready to call security and get the dumb girl out of his room. Tina Walters was seriously demented if she thought Zach would ever take her back.

"No, I really don't," he mutters. "Where's Cammie?"

Tina waved her hand dismissively. "Who cares about her, anyways?"

"Security!" Zach yelled. Moments later, a police officer walked into the room.

"Everything alright in here?" he asked.

Zach shook his head. "No, sir. Can you get this girl out of my room?"

The officer nodded. "Mamn, I need you to come with me, please," he said, opening the door.

"Wait, Zachy!" she said. "Won't you come to my show? I'll be sure to dress up for you," she said, sending him a sultry look.

Zach looked like he had just been shot. "Absolutely not," he said, voice rising.

Tina snorted in response. "What? Is it because you think Cameron is a better model?"

The security guard asked Tina to leave again. Zach stared her in the eye. "No, it's because Cammie's the only model. You were never a real one," he said, pausing. "Models aren't just supposed to be pretty on the outside- which, by the way, you need to work on- they have to be beautiful on the inside too. And clearly," Zach told her, "you don't have the heart to be nice to _anyone_."

She fled from the room.

::

"I've heard that Cameron Morgan is quite popular on the news, miss."

The girl snapped her head towards her agent.

"Don't you dare say her name again, Solomon."

The older man chuckled. "Oh, because you're quite the threatening girl, aren't you?"

"For the last time, I'm a _woman, _not a girl."

Solomon raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I beg to differ, Miss Walters."

"You're really a shit agent."

"Oh?" Solomon tilted his head. "Then explain how you had a full audience today at your show."

The girl gritted her teeth. "You hit a lucky streak. Don't expect it to get better from here."

The man grinned, obviously not affected by the girl's bad attitude. "Well, I certainly do," he said. "I've started a new agency! I'm officially starting my music company!"

The girl turned towards her smirking agent. "What?" she screamed. The driver turned around to see what was wrong, alarmed.

Joe Solomon wasn't cringing at the tone of her voice. "And you know what that means?"

Tina didn't respond. She was too busy contemplating whether or not she should slap the shit out of her agent.

"It means that the model agency isn't in business anymore," he says, grinning widely. "And that means you, Miss Walters, are _fired_."

::

The day Zach got released from the hospital was a good one.

Yes, the skies were overcast, and gray clouds dotted the horizon, but he was happy.

His Gallagher Girl was at his side, alive and breathing.

Preston was on trial for the murder of Courtney Bauer, punishable by death, or he could serve life.

He denied killing Courtney, but the blue eyes were the same ones that Liz saw a year ago. The blonde wig Cammie saw in his house had the same hair as the killer. There wasn't much to support Preston's case.

So he was locked up in a cell, rotting for the rest of his life. That made Zach smile.

His birthday was in a couple weeks, and Winter Break was only half over.

So yes, Zach was very much enjoying life.

Tina Walters had gotten fired from her agency, which had- _Gasp –_ been run by none other than Joe Solomon. The whole school had gone into a fit when they discovered that the hardcore Literature teacher was actually the owner of a _modeling agency._

On the contrary, Cammie had been hired to Mr. Solomon's _music _agency.

Zach didn't understand what was up with that man. I mean, what kind of high school teacher has his own _music agency_?

It was something new to grasp, that much he knew.

He had just finished his college applications, and he remembered the hours of college orientations and flyers he had seen. Thank God for Cammie's initiative and willingness, or she wouldn't have gotten her applications mailed in on time.

And now, it was Christmas Eve, and Zach was planting a kiss on her head, arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

They were both safe.

They were both alive.

They were both happy.

And most importantly, they were in love.

::

_You can't help but laugh at his jokes. He's just that charming and funny._

_You always stare at him when he enters the room. He just looks like Adonis at every second of his life._

_He smiles at you at least twice a day and you can't help but melt under his gaze every time. His smile shines bright like a diamond._

_You can't help it. You like him so much that he causes you to make horrible Rihanna jokes. You like him so much that it pains you to see him just say 'hi' to your friends._

_He's infuriating at times, and incredibly cocky and boyish._

_He smiles at you anyways, even when you are completely, utterly, and impossibly mad at him._

_Somehow, he knows that you could never truly be mad at him. He finds a way to cross your barriers, to break down your walls... A single joke from him makes your heart flutter, flying into his grasp._

_He reaches for your hand and electricity courses through your body. He asks you to forgive him, and smiles._

_The 'shine-bright-like-a-diamond' Rihanna smile._

_You can't help it. You forgive him._

_He isn't like other men, though._

_He doesn't take your heart and toss it away._

_He doesn't cut it up into pieces, like you thought he would._

_You never figure out how he works, and you probably never will._

_Yes, he flirts with other girls._

_Yes, he smiles at other women._

_Yes, he hugs your friends._

_But you can't help but feel like the kisses he gives you are yours exclusively._

_You kiss him intimately, and he returns it._

_He whispers those three words that you've been waiting to hear for weeks._

_And you whisper them back._

That is Nicholas Hale all summed up.

Macey doesn't really understand it. She's never felt like this before, really.

Preston had been an entirely different case. She had realized that she'd never actually _liked _him. It was a sense of protectiveness that some girls had. Macey didn't like him, but she didn't want him to like anyone else.

Nick was different.

He made you laugh when it was most needed. Like that time when you were frustrated because your parents would let you get the latest Prada bag. He told her that parents were just like Prada bags, expensive and useless when you needed them. Macey had laughed, then slapped him for saying that Prada bags were just fancy sacks that cost a shit ton of money.

He said the sweetest things when you were mad. The other day, you were frustrated because your dress wouldn't zip up properly. Nick had simply kissed your shoulder, and told you that he'd always be there to zip you up.

He helped you when you were utterly lost.

Mainly calculus. There wasn't anything this boy couldn't do, dammit. Macey had been sitting in the library, head on her papers, hair splayed out. She was muttering about how high-degree determinants were just so confusing. He had come to sit next to her, spending the next two hours helping with a single problem. He didn't care how long it took- he just wanted to spend time with her.

She was in a constant state of denial. Nick, on the other hand, would jump at the chance of declaring his love for her, even though it always came out like a joke.

It was an odd relationship, that's for sure.

But at the end of the day, the pair would walk home, holding hands, just talking.

Like a real couple.

Like a couple in love.

::

Was it possible that someone could cry this much?

She was wallowing in self-remorse, hating herself for everything that she'd done. She sat on the carpeted floor of her room, bawling her eyes out, and there was no sign of her stopping.

She'd led two boys on, and neither was too keen on what she'd done. She knew she'd have to make a decision, but things like that didn't come easily. Bex hadn't put much thought into it, as she'd been seriously scared about the whole Courtney thing.

But now, Preston was arrested, sitting on a dirty old cot in a rotting cell. And Bex was crying, for the first time in her life.

She had known Grant for 14 years. There was no one else, besides Cammie, that she'd ever trusted more. He had been there for all her goals and achievements, always cheering her on. Every time he'd hugged her, tingles shot up her spine, and even to this day, Bex hadn't found a way to stop them. Over the years, he'd grown from that short, chubby kid, to a 6'4" football player with the most beautiful eyes. But that didn't matter to Bex. She'd always loved him for his personality- clueless and a sweetheart.

She hadn't known Josh as long. Bex had met him halfway through the 3rd grade, when they sat next to each other in Ms. Reller's class. He had been a transfer student, and had all the girls fawning over him within two days. He took a special interest in Bex, though. He never stopped pestering her, pulling her hair whenever he could. Stealing her favorite purple crayon when he had the chance. Maybe it was because she was the one girl who didn't like him like that, besides, Cammie of course. Bex rejected him every time he asked her to a school dance, and she refused to go on a date with him. After high school, she found that Josh was over her. He was constantly dating and dumping girls, and Bex couldn't figure out why he treated them like that. Until she became one of those very girls.

There were undeniable relationships between the three.

It was a real-life love triangle. Each of them represented a point in the shape, and the angles were distorted. The lines weren't straight- they were tangled and wavy. That was how Bex saw them, anyway.

She was jealous of Cammie, really. She had her perfect storybook ending paved before her, effortlessly perfect. She had her dream guy, who had been sitting like a dog, waiting for her to catch up.

Bex wished she'd had it that easy. She wished love could come to her like a present, and she didn't have to go through this drama.

But life wasn't fair; it wouldn't always go the way you wanted. Life causes you to make choices, some will be good, and some will be bad. It's 50-50. In a matter of seconds, you can choose your future, your fate.

But Bex wasn't sure if she was ready for that.

::

**A/N: Updating a bit early this time…**

**So how was it? Did you like it? I wasn't such a big fan of it, but… oh well. Things will be things.**

**This story will have a sequel, unless I just continue it… but that means a 45 chapter thing. **

**I really do love this story, and I love you guys for all the support you've given me. Thank you, so much. I love you guys so, so, so much. **

**Question of the Chapter:**

**What's your greatest fear?**

**Being left alone. I don't ever want to be deserted, but everyone has a point in their life when they feel that way, and you have to live through that. **

**Whoever you are out there, I want you to believe in yourself. I want you to do the thing that you doubt. I want you to be free. I want you to try new things; to explore. I want you to do something new; something that people wouldn't dream of doing.**

**Do you know why?**

**Because you are all special in your own way.**

**You are one in a million, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise.**

**You are worth it.**

**You can do all things.**

**Remember that.**

**I love you guys. Review for me?**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


	16. Explaining the Unexplainable

**Disclaimer: Ally Carter owns all characters.**

Chapter 16

How do you explain the unexplainable?

Simple: you explain.

Bex didn't think it was all that simple. After all, it had already been six whole months, and she still didn't know what to do.

She was heading towards USC in California, Cammie was going to NYU, Zach was going to Columbia, Macey was going to Alabama with Nick, Grant was going to Stanford, and Josh was going to UCLA.

She didn't understand why, of all the people, it had to be _those two _that came to California with her. It just made everything more difficult. Josh was a few miles within her, and Grant wasn't all that far either.

Cammie and Zach weren't ever going to separate, so it was obvious that they'd be going to school near each other.

Nick and Macey couldn't even keep their hands off each other, so they'd made the decision of going to the same school.

But Bex had made a horrible decision. One of them was already enough to handle, but two of them? For another four years? There was no way she'd be able to survive.

So she was leaving. Her flight was scheduled for 10 pm, the night after graduation, headed straight for LAX. She wanted to get as much distance before she'd see them again. She'd already said goodbye to her best friends, and everything was perfectly planned.

They were in the grand ballroom of Roseville City Hall, and it was their last night, as a class, together. Hundreds of girls swirled around in their golden gowns and silver slippers. There were huge amounts of silk and taffeta, and a sparkling blue dress seemed to be very popular this year.

Cammie pulled it off the best, though. Zach liked how she looked, much more than he'd like to admit, especially with his mile-high ego in the way. The shimmering blue silk wafted around her like ocean waves, and she had the entire room's attention in her palm. Her blonde hair cascaded over her bare shoulder, and her light make-up effectively created an angelic glow around her. Her slim body fitted the dress perfectly, and every curve of her body was accented by the sheer material.

Bex was standing in the corner, sipping a drink, which undoubtedly was spiked, but she didn't care. She could handle it. She had endured much worse before, anyways.

The forest green dress clung to her figure, arguably better than Cammie did hers, but no one seemed to notice.

So she continued to sip at the spiked cider, slowly drinking. She felt herself getting slightly tipsy, the alcohol begin to take effect on her.

Macey gave her a questioning glance as Nick swept her into a twirl, but she didn't come over to personally ask what was wrong. They had already talked the night before, when Bex told the girls that she was leaving early.

Their graduation rings hung on thin silver chains around their necks, gleaming in the light of the chandeliers. It was all over. High school was done. They didn't have to worry about petty drama fights anymore. No more high school teachers that cared about their grades. No more late nights at each other's houses, gossiping about Tina Walters' ugly haircut. (Even though it was true.)

Cammie gave her a smile as she danced by with Zach. He even gave her a smile, then looked back down at Cammie, pure love and desire reflecting in his eyes. She waved goodbye before disappearing again.

Bex didn't know when he came up behind her, or how she didn't hear him. She blamed it on the alcohol. It always messed with her senses.

It wasn't the alcohol.

She mentally slapped herself before she gave in. It had never been the alcohol she was drunk on.

It was him.

The essence of his presence had always had an effect on her, even when she was avoiding him.

"What are you doing here alone? Shouldn't you be dancing with _him_?"

He said his name like it was an ugly puppy. Bex whirled on him, stalking away, not replying.

"You can't avoid me forever, you know!" he called after her. "You're going to have to face me someday!"

"I'm dreading that day more than the day I die," she muttered darkly, exiting the ballroom.

::

"Macey really outdid herself tonight," he murmured into her ear, causing her to shiver.

"Macey didn't do all of… this," she replied, referring to her makeup and outfit.

A questioning eyebrow was raised. "Oh, is that so?"

She rolled her eyes. "For God's sake, Zach, I can do my own makeup."

"Well, you look beautiful anyways."

"Flattery will get you nowhere, Zachary."

"Will flirtatious banter work?"

"What do you think?"

He gave a small smile, rubbing a hand behind his neck, sipping at the glass of wine. "At least I tried."

"Oh, and I suppose you expect me to give you a gold star now?"

He waved his glass in front of her face. "Would you like more to drink, Gallagher Girl, or do you want to make fun of me all night?"

She contemplated it for a second.

"I haven't even started yet."

A playful grin spread across her face before she emptied her glass on him, and disappearing into the crowd.

::

She felt like a princess as he spun her out, twirling her, before pulling her back in again. He stared down at her, looking at her with _that look _again.

What was it with cute boys and their eyes?

"Could you stop looking at me like that?"

He continued looking at her, smirking. "Is this a problem?" he asked, leaning down closer.

"You're impossible," she sighed as he twirled her out again, then pulling her against him.

"That term is so misleading. The phrase 'I'm possible' is even in the world. Nothing's _impossible_."

She rolled her eyes. "Have you ever believed in fate?"

He looked at her, confused. "I'm sorry, what?"

"Fate. You know, when two people who were meant for each other 'coincidentally' bump into each other?"

"Oh, that? Nope. That stuff is filled with shit."

"You're disgusting."

He grinned at her. "Would it change your mind if I said I believed in true love?"

"It doesn't matter what you say. You're still an asshole."

"Thanks, Mace. That really touches my heart."

"Good, it was supposed to."

He spun her around again. "Honestly, I thought you loved me."

"What in the world made you think _that_?" she asked incredulously.

"Oh, you don't? Sorry, I didn't know that spontaneous make-out sessions in my room were signs of rejection."

"Must've passed my mind."

Nick tightened his grip on her waist. "Macey."

"Nicholas."

"What are we even doing?"

She looked at him, totally confused. "We're talking."

He shook his head, his hair slightly flopping. The blonde strands were starting to grow, and as Macey fingered them, she contemplated giving him a haircut sometime.

"Not that, Mace," he said, staring at her. "I mean, what are _we _doing?"

"You mean," Macey pointed to the space between them (which, by the way, wasn't all that big), "_us_?"

He pulled her aside, and the pair took a seat at one of the tables. "Macey, I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted to be with you," he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I know you think that I'm _that_ kind of guy, the cocky, egotistical, good-looking," he winked at that one, "and sleazy-"

"I don't think you're sleazy. I just think you're… selective."

Nick raised an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Macey shrugged. "Doesn't matter." She ordered a skinny margarita from a passing waiter. The guy wrote down the order, winking at her as he walked away. Nick tightened his grip on her hand, obviously jealous.

"Is someone jealous?"

"I'd be lying if I wasn't."

Macey put her head down, as if she was about to fall asleep on the glass table.

"Why do you make it so difficult?" she muttered into her arms.

"Make what so difficult?"

She looked up at him, and watched as the concern and care flashed in his eyes.

"You make it so difficult to hate you."

::

"Cameron Anne Morgan, I swear, once I find you in the shit hole of a dance, I will kill you!"

Zach pulled off his soaking shirt, which now reeked of red wine, and slung it over his shirt as he walked outside. Thank God he lived in Roseville, and it was the beginning of June, or he would've frozen to death.

There were people making out in the trees, and others just walking hand in hand, having heart-to-heart conversations.

_I swear, there more people out here than in the freaking ballroom._

Zach ignored all the girls staring at him as he walked by. I mean, who wouldn't stare at a shirtless Zachary Goode?

"Cammie! You better come out, before I tell everyone-"

Two hands landed on his shoulders, and legs wrapped around his waist.

"Did you miss me, Blackthorne Boy?" she whispered into his ear.

He grinned, twisting around and returning the favor, wrapping his arms around her too.

"Zach, what happened to your shirt?"

"Oh, some rude girl decided to have some fun, and dump her glass of red wine on me," he replied, smirking. "Any idea who it was, Gallagher Girl?"

She shook her head vigorously, a smile donning her face. "Nope, sorry. Better get a detective, Goode."

He planted a soft kiss at the base of her neck. "You're a horrible liar, Cams."

"You're easy to piss off, Zach," she retorted, leaning her head back, laughing.

"You're a mean girlfriend. I don't know why I put up with you," Zach said, pouting.

Cammie smiled, but it faltered. "Zach…"

He looked up at her, effectively stopping the flow of small kisses on her neck. "Mmmmmm…"

"Zach, you know how I said I would start at NYU next semester?" she looked up at him, but he continued to stare blankly at her. She looked expectantly at him, waiting for an answer. He nodded, motioning for her to continue.

"And you know how we said we'd live together? In an apartment overlooking the skyline?"

Zach chuckled. "Gallagher Girl, what does this have to do with anything?"

She sighed, leaning away from him, placing her small hands on his shoulders.

"My dad came back yesterday, from Afghanistan," she stated, looking into his eyes, "and he wants to move in with me."

::

Bex tore down the sidewalk, running in her 4-inch Jimmy Choos. Somewhere along the way, her foot caught on a small pebble, and sent her tumbling into a flurry of emerald green on the pavement.

"Bex!" a voice called in the distance.

Tears fell down her face, not just because of the shooting pain at her ankle.

The voice neared closer, and she looked back, spotting the familiar silhouette of the boy.

"Bex," he said, panting. "What happened?"

She flipped him off. "Get away from me."

The boy knelt down, checking her ankle, gently massaging the large purple bruise that had appeared there.

"It's twisted, Bex. We have to get you a hospital," he explained.

She glared at him. "_We_? There is no way in hell that I'm going with you."

"Bex, you can't get to the hospital by yourself. You're in no condition to drive."

She scoffed. "Then I'll get Cammie to take me."

"She's off in the gazebo with Zach."

"Then I'll take Macey," she spat.

"She's getting drunk with Nick at the back of the ballroom."

"I'll ask Liz to drive me."

"She's having the time of her life, waltzing with Jonas."

"Bloody fucking hell! I'll take anyone but _you, _okay? I just don't want to be in the same place as you, don't you get that? Just get away from me!" she shrieked.

He picked her up bridal style, carrying her to his car, calling the nearest hospital as well.

"What the fuck are you doing? I told you to take me back!" she moved frantically in his arms, trying to wiggle her way out. "Let me go!"

"Yes, mamn. My friend twisted her ankle about… five minutes ago?" he looked expectantly at Bex, asking for an exact time. The phone was hovering a few inches from his ear.

"Fuck off," she hissed.

He grinned at her. "Yes, mamn. Five minutes ago. She just confirmed it."

"Put me down _right now_, or I swear to God, I will rip your head off your neck and feed it to my dog."

"Thank you, mamn." He hung up. He opened the passenger seat door for her, lightly pushing her into the car, before getting into the driver's seat. "Holy Angels Hospital, here we come."

Bex continued to scream expletives at the boy next to her until she drifted asleep.

"You're an asshole," she whispered, drifting into unconsciousness, "but I love you."

The boy sitting in the driver's seat swerved to the side of the seat.

"What?" he exclaimed.

Bex had already fallen asleep.

::

**A/N: Didn't realize that I updated so late. Sorry guys…**

**This chapter was really shitty, sorry about that. It's just… midterms and all, you know? High school officially sucks. And it doesn't help that I'm constantly procrastinating on my homework either.**

**Who should Bex end up with? Vote on the poll on my profile, please! Or you can just review….**

**Only a couple more chapters of all this…fluff. The plot is probably going to start getting a bit complicated.**

**Question of the Chapter: **

**What's your all-time favorite movie?**

**The Princess Bride.**

**This movie is soooooo old, but it was the first movie I ever watched with my dad. I still have the DVD in my room, and I love it so much. It all the elements of a great movie smashed into a compact disk.**

**Please review! **

**I'm trying to get to 200 by the next update! Can we do that? I think yes.**

**Thanks to:**

**JessRobStar**

**ButteryHighlights**

**XxCandyygirlxX**

**nadiyahill1997**

**Zach-Goode' **

**HeartZammieForever**

**binglebop**

**thegirlunseen**

**…for reviewing! I love you guys. Thank you for your support.**

**PLEASE REVIEW!**

**~ilovemesomecupcakes**


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